Research Data Management

When planning your research and creating DMPs, remember the FAIR Principles and ensure that your research data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

However, it is also important to consider the multiple stages at which you can and should share your data. For example, some researchers may choose to publish unprocessed data in a simple .CSV format while others may choose to only publish “clean” datasets, or those that have already been processed and/or analyzed. For larger datasets or datasets with sensitive data, sharing at the aggregated level may be the most appropriate. 

Be aware, too, that not all data can be shared due to copyright or intellectual property rights, sensitive personal information, confidentiality, and more. For more information on meeting FAIR principles with sensitive data, see How to FAIR's Access to Data guide. 

You can also consult our Data Storage for Research Activities guide for more on storing sensitive and restricted data at the University of Utah. Rule 4-004C Data Classification and Encryption covers the University of Utah's policy on restricted, sensitive, and public data.

PLOS ONE's author requirements for data sharing and access provides a useful set of guidelines to help you adhere to FAIR regardless of where you're planning to publish your findings.   

There are countless resources online for accessing existing research data to supplement your research, including: 

Registry of Research Data Repositories (re3data.org)
Re3data is a global registry of research data repositories that covers research data repositories from different academic disciplines. It includes repositories that enable permanent storage of and access to data sets to researchers, funding bodies, publishers, and scholarly institutions. re3data promotes a culture of sharing, increased access and better visibility of research data.

ICPSR's Thematic Data Collections (University of Michigan)
ICPSR partners with several federal statistical agencies and foundations to create collections organized around specific topics. These thematic collections bring a dynamism to ICPSR from which the broader social science research community benefits. The sponsors provide new data (in most cases free to everyone), which stimulate more research. The funded collections and ICPSR work together to build additional infrastructure for data discovery and use.

ResearchDataGov
ResearchDataGov.org is a product of the federal statistical agencies and units, created in response to the Foundations of Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018. The site is the single portal for discovery of restricted data in the federal statistical system. The agencies have provided detailed descriptions of each data asset. Users can search for data by topic, agency, and keywords.

Data.gov 
Data.gov is the United States government's open data website. It provides access to datasets published by agencies across the federal government. Data.gov is intended to provide access to government open data to the public, achieve agency missions, drive innovation, fuel economic activity, and uphold the ideals of an open and transparent government.

The Hive
The Hive is the University of Utah's research data repository provided by both the J. Willard Marriott Library and Eccles Health Sciences Library. It designed to broadly disseminate the intellectual contributions in research and creativity produced by the University's faculty, staff and students to ensure its longevity. Here you will find information on preparing, uploading and depositing your datasets and the corresponding documentation.

NIH Scientific Data 
NIH has many affiliated repositories for scientific data. Browse a non-exhaustive list of repositories and learn how to access different types of data. 

NIH Genomic Data
NIH maintains many repositories for genomic datasets. Learn what types of repositories exist, how to apply for access to restricted datasets, and the responsibilities of users who download human genomic data from NIH databases.

Contact Us!

Your Research Data Librarians at the J. Willard Marriott Library are happy to answer any questions you may have related to data management compliance with various funding sources and offer one-on-one consultation appointments focused on your specific project's needs. If you would like to request a consultation or schedule data management training for your class or department, contact Kaylee Alexander (kaylee.alexander@utah.edu) or Madison Golden (madison.golden@utah.edu). 

Check out our Research Data Access Resources guide!