{"id":103,"date":"2025-11-26T11:33:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T16:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/?page_id=103"},"modified":"2026-07-16T15:55:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T19:55:28","slug":"data-services","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/help-research-support\/data-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Services"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>What is Research Data?<\/h2>\n<p>Any piece of recorded information can be considered data. Images, video, text, audio recordings, code, and numerical measurements are types of data commonly produced by research. Because research often requires significant labor and funding, it is essential to organize and secure research data. This page provides an overview about how to create a data management plan, organize and store your data, and how to cite others&#8217; data in your bibliographies.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"dialogue dialogue-info\">For guidance from the NIH about data management and sharing, see the <a href=\"https:\/\/library.bu.edu\/NIH_DMS\">NIH 2023 Data Management and Sharing Policy Guide<\/a>.<\/aside>\n<h2>Creating a Data Management Plan<\/h2>\n<p>A data management plan (DMP) documents how data will be collected, secured, stored, organized, and shared for a research project, a lab, a department, or an entire organization. DMPs can be as long or as short as needed.\u00a0 They are often required by funding agencies as part of a research proposal.<\/p>\n<p>Data management prevent future headaches, like mistakenly deleting valuable research results, misplacing files, or having to redo the analysis of your data. When done properly, data management will keep your work organized and intelligible to others as well as to your future self. This will make your work reproducible and increase your data\u2019s value after the completion of the research.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Types of Data<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>Examples include experimental measurements, survey results, images, text, or numerical data. When working with data, think about the following two questions:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What types of data will you be creating or capturing?<\/li>\n<li>How will you capture, create, and\/or process the data?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Documenting your data types and workflow will help you think through your methodology and how each step affects your data.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Contextual Details<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>Contextual details, or metadata, is information that will help others understand your data. While you may be familiar with your data, others may not know about your equipment settings, variable names, or file organization. It is important to think about the file types that you\u2019re using to share your data. Some formats, like .csv or .txt, are open and can be understood by many programs in multiple operating systems. Others, like .pdf or .docx, are proprietary and may not be accessible by some programs or people who do not have access to the same software.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You should also explain your data set in terms of the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Doing so will help others use your data effectively and within the right context.<\/li>\n<li>What are the file formats you plan to use (and are they open or proprietary)?<\/li>\n<li>Explain the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your data set.<\/li>\n<li>What naming conventions will you use for files and variables?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Storage, Backup, and Security<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>These are key components to your data management plan, because they can require institutional resources. If you\u2019re working with sensitive data or data that involves human research subjects, a data security plan is essential.<\/p>\n<p>Planning who will have access to what is an important step in managing your data. When you implement a file permissions plan for your research team, you will not only save time but also prevent inappropriate access to sensitive data and the mishandling of personally identifiable information. Additionally, should your personal laptop or desktop computer become damaged, your backup plan for your data could save your research project.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Where will your data be stored?<\/li>\n<li>What is your backup plan for the data?<\/li>\n<li>How will you manage data security?<\/li>\n<li>Who will have access to which files?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Provisions for Protection &amp; Privacy<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re working with sensitive data or data with copyright restrictions, you\u2019ll want to have a clear plan that addresses any potential privacy or legal issues. For instance, your methodology will often address the anonymization of your human research subject data or your grant application might state intellectual property concerns. It is important to ensure those details are also reflected in your data management plan.<\/p>\n<p>Also, check that the systems you\u2019re using to store your data are approved for those data types. For example, not all systems can safely work with HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) data. For assistance on ensuring that your storage solution is appropriate for your data type, contact <strong>IS&amp;T\u2019s Information Security Team.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How are you addressing any ethical or privacy issues with human research subjects?<\/li>\n<li>Who will own any copyright or intellectual property rights to the data?<\/li>\n<li>Is your storage solution appropriate for the type of data you are using?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Policies for Access &amp; Reuse<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>If you are planning to share your data, remember to document the policies for reuse. For example, if you intend to make your data available when your grant ends, anticipate how you will make that possible. Providing continual access to your research data involves more than posting it on your personal website. One solution is to find a data repository hosted by a trusted organization, to store your data for long-term access.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What restrictions need to be placed on re-using your data?<\/li>\n<li>What is the process for gaining access to your data?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Plan for Archiving &amp; Preservation<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>Many funding agencies require that you make your data publicly available for the long term. Figuring out how you\u2019re going to comply with those requirements means you\u2019ll have to think about where you\u2019re storing your data, and if you\u2019re going to partner with institutional resources or a third-party. Long-term access to your data not only requires having well documented metadata but also means having a plan that accounts for the next 5 or more years.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What is your long-term plan for preservation and maintenance of the data?<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019re using a data repository, who is sponsoring it and what are the terms of use?<\/li>\n<li>Who will be responsible for making sure your data is accessible in 5+ years?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Putting Your Plan into Action<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>Once you have the final version of your data management plan you will want to share it with your team, laboratory, or others. However, your DMP is only useful if your colleagues can understand it. As your project evolves, remember to keep the DMP current and useful. Finally, you should periodically review your DMP to ensure you\u2019re continuing to meet the needs of your research.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h2>Adding Metadata to Your Research Data<\/h2>\n<p>Metadata are data that describe data. They are everywhere; we just don\u2019t always notice them. As an example, think about a book you might buy online. The book itself contains text, a kind of data. Information you might find about the book in an online store includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the name of the author<\/li>\n<li>the name of the publisher<\/li>\n<li>the date of publication<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The metadata above provide more information about the item you\u2019re looking at. When metadata for many items are brought together and standardized, they become powerful tools for locating and discovering things &#8211; like a library catalog or an internet search engine.<\/p>\n<div class=\" bu-callout aligncenter\"><\/p>\n<h2>Why Describe Your Data?<\/h2>\n<p>Metadata are important because they explain a data set to others. Data sets exist within a certain context, and this context must be communicated well so that others can reuse the data set.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the City of Boston has open data on <a href=\"https:\/\/data.boston.gov\/dataset\/311-service-requests\">311 Service Requests<\/a>. If a researcher wanted to use these data and didn\u2019t know the data was about Boston, what a 311 request is, or the year the data was created, it would be very difficult for them to understand or reuse this data set. Even with this information, without a data dictionary like the City of Boston&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/data.boston.gov\/dataset\/311-service-requests\/resource\/b237f352-49d1-4423-804f-b478e4f24e61\">CRM Value Codex<\/a>, it would be hard to understand what some variables are, what blank values mean, or what values are possible.<\/p>\n<p>Metadata provide necessary information for others (sometimes your future self) to understand the data set and properly reuse it. It often takes time to create metadata, but the effort is worthwhile.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"naming\">Naming Conventions<\/h2>\n<p>Researchers often use structured guidelines known as file-naming conventions to describe the content and date of the file.\u00a0Using naming conventions will also save you time by keeping your work organized and understandable. Consistently organizing your files in a logical way will also make it easier to analyze and process your files, and the data they contain, with scripts and other tools.<\/p>\n<h3>Best Practices for Naming Conventions<\/h3>\n<p>As you and your research partners establish file-naming conventions, we recommend you consider these guidelines:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Define file conventions at the start of your project and follow them consistently during the course of your research.<\/li>\n<li>Include a text file, often called a readme, in your file directory that describes the naming conventions you are using. This information<br \/>\nwill be helpful for individuals who are new to the project.<\/li>\n<li>Use descriptive file names that are meaningful to you and your colleagues. This might include the project name, subject, or acronym.<\/li>\n<li>Keep file names relatively short.<\/li>\n<li>Include dates in your filename, which can help with sorting different versions of your file. Recommended format: yyyymmdd.<\/li>\n<li>Use a sequential numbering system to keep track of different versions or revisions to a file. For example, try with leading 0\u2019s. (rehab01 instead of rehab1)<\/li>\n<li>Use hyphens, underscores, or <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Camel_case\">camelCase<\/a> instead of spaces.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Things to Avoid<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Spaces within your files; not all software recognizes spaces within file names.<\/li>\n<li>Special characters in your file names such as: \u201c\/ \\ : * ? \u201c &lt; &gt; [ ] &amp; $.\n<ul>\n<li>These characters have specific meanings for various operating systems and could result in your files being deleted or misplaced.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Long or wordy names that may not have meaning to you and other researchers on your team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Examples<\/h3>\n<h4>A Daily Journal<\/h4>\n<p>A researcher often keeps a daily electronic journal. In her research project folder she has a folder titled \u201cjournal.\u201d Inside this folder are text files named with a simple date format &#8211; YYYYMMDD.<\/p>\n<pre><code>project-folder \r\n\tjournal \r\n\t\t20170101.txt\r\n\t\t20170102.txt\r\n\t\t20170102.txt\r\n\tother-sub-folder \r\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<h4 id=\"meeting-minutes\">Meeting Minutes<\/h4>\n<p>A lab has weekly meetings to discuss their work, issues, and upcoming events. Each week a different lab member takes the meeting minutes to help distribute the workload. A file naming convention for this group might be:<\/p>\n<pre><code>project_folder \r\n\tminutes\r\n\t\t20170206-project-weekly-minutes.docx \r\n\t\t20170213-project-weekly-minutes.docx\r\n\t\t20170220-project-weekly-minutes.docx \r\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<h4 id=\"biomedical-samples\">Biomedical Samples<\/h4>\n<p>A biomedical engineering lab is taking numerous samples from a heart and staining them to learn more about the tissue samples. The lab would like the samples to link the experiment and lab notebook in a systematic method so the entire lab understands which samples connect to which experiment.<\/p>\n<p>The team develops a method that formats their naming convention using the experiment number, A or B, section number, and stain used. An example of this naming convention would look like <strong>0231A_216_act<\/strong> where <strong>0231<\/strong> is the experiment number, <strong>A<\/strong> stands for apex, <strong>216<\/strong> is the section number, and <strong>act<\/strong> is the stain (actinin). A folder of these slides might be organized like:<\/p>\n<pre><code>0231A_216\r\n0231A_216_act \r\n0231B_100\r\n0232A_215\r\n0232B_215_act\r\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>In this way, the researchers can programmatically sort a large number of files by experiment number, section, or stain. While this naming convention is more complex than our other examples it fits the needs of a particular lab.<\/p>\n<p>This example is provided by University of Massachusetts Medical School\u2019s Lamar Soutter Library in the <a href=\"http:\/\/library.umassmed.edu\/necdmc\/index\">New England Collaborative Data Management Curriculum<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/library.umassmed.edu\/resources\/necdmc\/modules\">Module 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Also in this section:<\/h2>\n\t<div class=\"bu-list-child-pages\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/help-research-support\/data-services\/selecting-a-data-repository\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Selecting a Data Repository<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/help-research-support\/data-services\/citing-data\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Citing Data<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Research Data? Any piece of recorded information can be considered data. Images, video, text, audio recordings, code, and numerical measurements are types of data commonly produced by research. Because research often requires significant labor and funding, it is essential to organize and secure research data. This page provides an overview about how to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1301,"featured_media":0,"parent":25,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1301"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4542,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103\/revisions\/4542"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}