Prepare for further use of the data already in the planning phase of the project and while you are collecting and analysing the data.
It is important to make as much as possible use of the data created in an RDI project after the project goals have been achieved. The data created in the project can be reused, for example, in other research groups and teaching of Turku University of Applied Sciences, or by opening the data for wider reuse. The degree of use of the data should be monitored after the end of the project.
The relationship between data created in RDI projects and archiving is currently open to interpretation. Although the National Archives of Finland has defined that research data should be archived, it is not always reasonable to archive research data (e.g. data collected by sensors). There also exist only a few suitable archiving solutions.
If there is no need or permission for storing or using the data further, the data must be permanently erased so that it cannot be restored from the device's memory. There are special programs for the permanent destruction of data that are based on, for example, overwriting data or demagnetising the hard drive. The storage media can also be mechanically crushed so that it is unusable.
Opening research data means that it is shared for others to use online. When opening your data, at least consider the following things:
To promote the reuse of data, the open data must follow the FAIR principles. Research data that follows the FAIR principles is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.
During the research, pay special attention how you describe the data by using, for example, a README file or a research diary, as it is almost impossible to create the necessary metadata at the end of the project and data management from scratch. Metadata must be created regardless of whether the actual data is opened or not, because the metadata is needed for the internal reuse of the data at Turku UAS.
Even if you do not open the actual research data for reuse, by sharing the metadata you can tell about your interests and give other researchers the opportunity to ask for permission to use the data or propose cooperation based on it. Usually the metadata can be open even if the research data itself is not opened.
Before opening the metadata, make sure there are no reasons not to share it. For example, when working with private companies, it is good to keep in mind that they may not want to publish data work done around certain topics.
The metadata of the completed RDI project data can be saved in the Justus service of Turku UAS, more information by email datasupport@turkuamk.fi.
The development of open science has strengthened the position of data articles. A data article is a shorter description of the data opened in connection with an article than a regular journal article. As such, a data article is a good way to increase the visibility of your data in the form of a traditional publication. At the same time, you should also consider writing a method blog post – it is a convenient alternative to documenting the RDI process and contributes significantly to the reusability of RDI data.
This guide covers the Turku UAS instructions on data management.
More information: Larmo, Kuusniemi, Fuchs (2018). Researcher’s check list for publishing research data. Responsible Research website.
In data ownership and user rights issues, contact Turku UAS Contract services.
Contract services (Messi intranet)
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