Preparing for Deposit

Data deposit is the process of transferring custodianship of research data to a third-party, such as a research data repository. Data deposit is not the same as data sharing. You may choose to deposit your data in a repository that enables you to share your data openly, in a repository that allows restricted access, in a closed archive, or with a designated custodian to preserve long-term access.

Data package

A data package is a collection of data files and documentation created to intentionally ensure your data remains accessible. Your data package will differ from your working data, typically containing only essential files. It may also involve renaming and reorganization of files and creating new documentation. The goal is to create a data package that someone other than you or your research group could understand. 

Data curation

Data curation refers to intentional actions taken in order to provide long-term, meaningful access to a data package. Whether you choose to retain research data for your personal use or make it openly available to other researchers, curating your data ensures it can be understood, interpreted, and reused. 

Data curation may include activities like:

  • Checking for missing files and data documentation
  • Creating new documentation to provide information about how data can be accessed and used (including information about data licenses)
  • Arranging and describing files 
  • Detecting and fixing code and other quality assurance issues 
  • Screening for privacy disclosure risk 
  • Transforming file formats for long term access 
  • Reviewing and augmenting metadata

Resources

Library services 
The library provides support for:

  • Understanding how to create a data package
  • Understanding and navigating data curation 

External resources