Looking for information on the NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan 2023 requirements?
Consult our Guide with UVA-focused guidance on preparing your plan.
NEW!
As of June 2024, UVA has a university-wide license to LabArchives. LabArchives is a web-based Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) that allows you to record data in any file format, collaborate within your lab, and retain a complete history of the data.
LabArchives is sponsored by UVA's Office of the Vice President for Research. To get started, visit the UVA LabArchives guide.
Research Data Management
Conducting research involves working with data and involves processes from start to finish, including naming files, preparing and cleaning your data, performing analyses, documenting your work, and more. Below are selected resources help improve your workflows through better data management practices.
File Naming
File Organization
File Formats
Resources:
Following a few basic recommendations when working with research data in spreadsheets can save you time when it comes to analyzing your data. Consider these practices adapted from Data Organization in Spreadsheets, Karl W. Broman & Kara H. Woo.
Basic Spreadsheet Practices
Getting Started
Inputting Data
Tidy Data
Sharing
Additional Resources:
Data Science for the Biomedical Sciences - Spreadsheets
Data Carpentry Spreadsheet Lesson
DataONE Data Entry and Manipulation (creating files, missing values, data validation)
Data Organization in Spreadsheets, Karl W. Broman & Kara H. Woo
Documentation:
Describing your Project
CESSDA has a useful guide for creating project-level documentation:
Describing your Dataset(s)
Nice overview on Readme, Data Dictionaries, Codebooks with examples (Iowa)
Readme File
A readme is typically a plain-text file that provides information about a datafile to help facilitate use and re-use of the data. Typical elements to a readme include the following (adapted from Guide to Writing "readme" Style Metadata). Using one of the templates below can help ensure you create a useful readme file.
Readme Content: General Information
Readme Content: Data and Files
Readme Content: Methods
Additional Readme Resources
Data Dictionary
Codebook
Metadata and Standards
Disciplinary Metadata (Digital Curation Centre) - links to information about metadata standards by discipline/field
Selecting a Data Repository
Considerations
An effective way to make your data accessible is to store it in a repository. In this case, a data repository refers to a storage service that offers a mechanism for managing and storing digital content, where users can upload final datasets to make them accessible and discoverable.
Benefits of digital repositories include:
NIH Data Management and Sharing Requirements
Get assistance with writing your plan for the new NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy from our Guide.
Journal Sharing Requirements
To make your data/supplements available, first make sure that they are appropriate for sharing (e.g. de-identified if needed), and properly organized and labeled. Typically uploading datasets or supplements are straightforward.
More general considerations when deciding where to deposit your data
Discipline-Specific Repositories
First, check your funder or journal requirements for recommended or preferred repositor/ies
Repository Directories and Lists
Sample Discipline-Specific Repositories
General and Cross-Disciplinary Repositories
UVA Data Repository
NIH-affiliated Repositories
In general, NIH does not endorse any particular repository. Overall, NIH encourages researchers to select the repository that is most appropriate for their data type and discipline. This list of NIH-supported repositories provides examples of suitable repositories.
General (Multidisciplinary) Data Repositories
The Generalist Repository Ecosystem Initiative (GREI) includes seven established generalist repositories that will work together to establish consistent metadata, develop use cases for data sharing, train and educate researchers on FAIR data and the importance of data sharing, and more:
In addition to the above, NIH notes Synapse as an appropriate generalist repository:
University Policies:
UVA-Contracted Cloud Storage:
Additional UVA Storage Resources:
Backing Up Your Data:
See our guide on how to incorporate rigor and reproducibility practices into your biomedical research.
In addition to UVA's license to LabArchives, other systems for managing or storing your research data include:
Need more information on managing your research data? We are here to help:
Health Sciences Library Research & Data Services - contact us at hsl-rdas@virginia.edu