Data Introduction: Understanding Research Data

Data are facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis. Information is analyzed data.

Research Data are collected, obtained or generated experimentally to validate results of original research. Research data includes data that you created (primary) or data that you used from other sources (secondary). Typical examples of data include the following.

• Observational data: data captured in real-time, usually irreplaceable. Examples: Sensor data, telemetry, survey data, sample data, neuroimages
• Experimental data: data from lab equipment, often reproducible, but can be expensive. Examples: gene sequences, chromatograms, toroid magnetic field data
• Simulation data: data generated from test models where model and metadata (inputs) are more important than output data. Examples: climate models, economic models
• Derived or compiled data: data that is reproducible (but very expensive). Examples: text and data mining, compiled database, 3D models, data gathered from public documents

Research data can also include video, sound, or text data, as long as it is used for systematic analysis. For example,  a collection of video interviews use to gather and identify gesture and facial expressions in a study of emotional responses to stimuli would be considered research data.

All research data must be appropriately structured and documented in order for it to be used effectively for analysis. Additionally, any unique programs or models needed to analyze the data should also be preserved.

Not Research Data is treated with caution and archived:

• Trade secretes, commercial information
• Sensitive data: identifying, personal, medical, political, GPS
• Preliminary analyses, drafts of scientific articles, plans for future research, peer review/expert opinions, correspondence and other evidence of interaction with colleagues.

If you are not familiar with data and your are doing first steps in working with research data, you may start with the resources below.

This video is an engaging explanation of the fundamentals of research data.