ESRC award holders

Sharing your data at the end of research requires planning from the start. By documenting data appropriately secondary users can properly contextualise the data and conduct well-informed re-use. Managing data well also makes it easier to use data yourself and easier to prepare them for deposit with the ESDS. You can apply for costs for preparing data within your ESRC award’s budget.

It is vital to consider early on all consent and confidentiality concerns that may inhibit archiving data. Data archiving needs to be discussed with research participants to obtain their consent for data sharing. Even confidential data can be successfully shared if attention is paid to consent procedures, anonymisation and data access regulations. Research Ethics Committees may place different demands upon what you can do with data, and it is important to get any tensions clarified early on. Detailed guidance on consent, confidentiality and ethics in data sharing is available.

Data and documentation from your research should be prepared according to best practice guidelines on how to create and manage data.

We strongly recommend that sufficient time is allowed during and towards the end of a project for preparing the data collection for submission to ESDS, and especially before the lead researchers move onto their next research project.

If you would like to discuss any of these issues further, contact the Research Data Management Support Services team at acquisitions@esds.ac.uk or telephone: +44 (0)1206 872974.

ESDS also runs a programme of training workshops covering key areas of managing and sharing research data.