Data Literacy for the Social Sciences: Manage the data lifecycle

Often, whether you are creating data or using an existing dataset, a research project requires you to submit a data management and sharing plan that outlines how data and any accompanying metadata will be managed and shared. A data management plan usually contains the following information:

1. Data type - the format of any data gathered or used, the data modality (structured, semi-structured or unstructured), the level of aggregation (individual, aggregated or summarized) and the degree of processing.

2. Any tools required to access or utilize the data.

3. Any metadata schemas, controlled vocabularies, encoding standards, common data elements or any identifiers (PID) associated with the data.

4. The timeline for preserving the data and the repository where it will be accessible. Also, any limitations on sharing the data (ex. human subjects limitations). The policy for gaining access to the data.

5. What is the long-term strategy for maintaining, curating and archiving the data? Where will it be preserved? Data transformations/formats needed?