Conclusion

Research data management is a large and complex area with many different components to consider. Different rules from different funders do not help this confusion but help is at hand. If you have worked through this unit you will start to realise that much of good data management practice is actually common sense and a few simple steps put into place at the outset of a project can help the rest of it to run smoothly. Those undertaking research projects are often overwhelmed with the amount of work they have to do and planning data management can seem like a step to far for many who see it as a burden. Library staff can make use of their existing skills in data organisation, metadata creation and preservation to ensure that this part of the research process is as painless as possible. You can go back through any of the unit to review material that you didn’t understand or to explore the links to further information. As we move through the resource you will see that good data management underpins many of the elements of the research process and so it is essential that it takes place throughout a project.