More and more research data is freely available. Having access to existing data may simplify your empirical research. Yet, you are also facing the challenge of making your own data available for use. Ultimately, this avoids unnecessary duplicate data collection. Research funding agencies are thus calling for research proposals to be accompanied by data management plans or specifications on how to re-use the data. These developments are driven by the requirements for good scientific practice. In order to ensure that results can be reproduced, a growing number of journals require the submission of data sets and programme codes when articles are published. Ethics committees require evidence of data protection when carrying out research projects that involve personal or organisational data.
This puts entirely new challenges on your ability to manage your research data:
• How do I find existing data for my empirical research?
• How do I cite re-used data?
• How do I prepare my data for re-use?
• Which data and safety guidelines do I have to follow?
• Which repository should I use for my data?