All research involves the creation or use of data in some way in order to support or validate its claims to knowledge. Good research data management plays an important role in the integrity of a research project and needs to be present throughout its lifecycle, from the early planning stages, to data collection, analysis, and sharing and archiving at the end of the project. More and more funders, such as the UK Research Councils, require the projects they fund to consider how they will manage their data, including how they will share the data and make it accessible to the public.

Why is research data management important?

Effective management of research data improves efficiency, reduces the risk of loss of data, and enables data to be re-used and shared, thus providing best value for money.

Sharing your research data has a number of benefits:

• Enables research results to be independently validated
• Provides opportunities for collaborative work and partnerships
• Increases the impact of research, by improving visibility and increasing citations
• Enables datasets to be used in new ways

The University of Wolverhampton recognises the importance of sharing research data to both research excellence and the research community: the Research Data Management Policy highlights the university’s commitment to the effective management of research data.