2 Research Project Planning
One of the first considerations regarding research data is whether the data are generated from funded or sponsored research or not. Funded projects will often come with specific requirements in regard to the data; for example, the submission of a data management plan with the grant proposal, or the public sharing of data at the end of the project.
Funded/Sponsored Research
If your research is funded (or sponsored), be sure to work with Portland State’s Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA). SPA will assist you with issues like data security and compliance. More information on Research Integrity and Compliance Programs
Unfunded/Non-Sponsored Research
Unfunded research is subject to less monitoring and oversight, but it is very important to follow best practices and guidelines regarding the organization, description, storage, security, and sharing of your data. Security and compliance standards still apply to unfunded research data.
Human Research Protection Program & Institutional Review Board
Whether funded or unfunded, if your research project involves collecting data from human subjects, you will go through the University’s Human Research Protection Program and Institutional Review Board (IRB) to “protect the rights, safety, and welfare of human research subjects recruited to participate in research activities conducted under the auspices of PSU.”
The IRB form has questions in regard to how you will store and protect your research data. Your answers to those questions will be very similar, if not the same as, sections of a standard DMP.
More information on the Human Research Protection Program.
Use of Secondary/Existing Data
Using existing data is common, but the data sets involved might vary significantly in terms of their access, use, and security requirements. Existing data can fall under different categories such as:
- Public data
- Open data
- Restricted data (often due to personally identifiable information)
- Proprietary data
In order to use a given existing data set, there might be a data use agreement or contract that governs your use of the data, its storage, and security. If this is the case, please contact Brandon Barnhill, Compliance Officer for Data Security & Export Controls (brandon.barnhill@pdx.edu).
Copyright of Data
Data are considered discoverable “facts,” not original works in themselves, and are thus not copyrightable. The methods of compilation, analysis, annotation arrangement, or selection of data, which may be novel, unique, or proprietary, can be protected under copyright. As an illustrative example, individual pieces of data in a table cannot be protected under copyright, but the table itself can be copyrighted. Patents may similarly be applied to the analysis, compilation, or arrangement of data if it leads to new inventions.
To the extent that copyright applies to data, ownership of that copyright for the PSU community is governed by the University’s Copyright Ownership Policy. The office of Innovation & Intellectual Property can advise on issues relating to copyright ownership.
Regardless of the status of copyright, data generated in the context of sponsored research is under the stewardship of the University and may be subject to the contract under which the sponsored research is performed. In general, non-sponsored research data is not necessarily stewarded by the University in the same way, but it is highly recommended that those performing uncontracted research adhere to the same guidelines for data management and security as funded research.
Data Management Planning
A Data Management Plan (DMP) is a document that explicitly addresses questions regarding the collection, storage, and archiving of research data. The content of a DMP will vary by discipline, funding agency, and project. A successful DMP should at least meet the basic requirements of the funding agency; these guidelines will be spelled out in the grant or by the agency. If the research involves data collection from human subjects, the IRB will also ask questions very similar to those in a DMP.
Whether required or not, it is beneficial to have a plan for your data. Without a DMP, you increase the risk of data storage, security, and reuse problems.
Data Management Planning Training and How to Guide
Workshops on DMPs provided by the University Library’s Data Management Services Librarian.
- Offered most quarters as a drop-in workshop, promoted via the Library and RGS
- Workshop can be requested for groups
- Manage Your Research Data Guide
Contact the Data Management Services Librarian for questions on Data Management Planning: lib-data-management@pdx.edu
DMPTool
Instructions on how to use DMPTool
The Library recommends the DMPTool, a resource that assists researchers in creating data management plans. It provides a step-by-step guide, as well as a DMP template. DMPTool also provides guidelines on what should be addressed in each section of the plan. In addition to general templates, the DMPTool also provides templates designed for specific federal agencies and their divisions.
PDXScholar Description for Data Management Plans
If you decide to use PDXScholar to provide long term storage and access to your data, the following is an example description of PDXScholar for your data management plan. Copy and edit as needed.
PDXScholar is Portland State University’s institutional repository that supports long-term data storage and access. Data will be archived in perpetuity at Portland State University’s institutional repository, PDXScholar. The data will be available [upon creation/upon conclusion of the grant/after some embargo period] in accordance with the rights policies outlined [elsewhere]. Primary responsibility for long-term preservation of the data rests with the Digital Initiatives Unit at Portland State University.
