Skip to Main Content

Research Data Management @ Queen's

What is Research Data Management (RDM)?

Research data are primary source materials supporting your research and can be used as evidence to validate your findings and results.

With the accelerating pace at which information can be generated and shared in today's networked society, researchers face new considerations, opportunities, and risks when working with data. Research data is a significant asset generated during the course of research and has the potential to benefit other researchers if managed appropriately. Some research data requires added layers of security to ensure its safe keeping.

Research data management, or RDM, refers to the processes applied throughout the lifecycle of a research project to guide the collection, documentation, storage, sharing, and preservation of research data.

Research data lifecycle

Research Data Lifecycle: The activities and types of data collected in a research project are not always predictable or homogenous. However, it's beneficial during the planning phase to anticipate the collection, processing, analysis, storage, sharing, and dissemination activities that may be involved.

The Portage National Training Expert Group has created a Primer: Research Data Management and a Brief Guide: Research Data Management that provide an overview of RDM.

Why Manage your Research Data?

Managing your research data will help you:

  • meet funding agency requirements
  • write more competitive grant applications
  • get credit for your data and increase its impact and visibility
  • encourage the discovery and use of your data to explore new research questions
  • improve your data's accuracy, completeness, and usability
  • ensure long-term preservation of data for future researchers
  • comply with ethics and privacy policies