Helpful sources for planning your research project systematically from the start:
- CESSDA (2019). Adapt your Data Management Plan - A list of Data Management Questions based on the Expert Tour Guide on Data Management. https://dmeg.cessda.eu/content/download/4302/48656/file/TTT_DO_DMPExpertGuide_v1.3.pdf (CC-BY)
- ICPSR (n.d.). Guide to social science data preparation: Best practice throughout the data life cycle. https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/pages/deposit/guide/
Good documentation helps other researchers to better find and understand your research data:
- Jedinger, A., O. Watteler, and A. Förster (2018). "Improving the quality of survey data documentation: A total survey error perspective." Data 3 (4): 45. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/data3040045
To secure data and materials against loss, overwriting, etc., you will find information on data organisation and data security here:
- Verbund Forschungsdaten Bildung (2018). Naming and organising files. https://www.forschungsdaten-bildung.de/dateien-benennen?la=en
- Netscher, S. (2023). Checkliste: Back-Up-Prozesse. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8246598
In social science research, personal data usually also play a role. The persons concerned must be protected according to the law:
- RatSWD [German Data Forum] (2020). Data Protection Guide. 2nd fully revised edition. RatSWD Output 8 (6). Berlin, German Data Forum (RatSWD). https://doi.org/10.17620/02671.57
- KonsortSWD (2023). Discipline-specific information on informed consent documents: https://www.konsortswd.de/en/ratswd/best-practices-research-ethics/informed-consent-documents/
- Perry, A. (2023). How to secure your data. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8227992
When sharing research data, some copyright aspects must be taken into account. A licence regulates the conditions for subsequent use:
- Creative Commons FAQs: https://creativecommonsusa.org/index.php/frequently-asked-questions/
- Open Access Network (2023). The 101 of Creative Commons licenses. YouTube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQRPzIvVB_TO7dopvz38mlczjvqkgKHFg
Social science research is increasingly using data from social media and the web. There are a number of organisational, legal and ethical issues associated with this:
- Breuer, J., Al Baghal, T., Sloan, L., Bishop, L., Kondyli, D., & Linardis, A. (2021). Informed consent for linking survey and social media data - Differences between platforms and data types. IASSIST Quarterly, 45(1). https://doi.org/10.29173/iq988
- Breuer, J., Bishop, L., & Kinder-Kurlanda, K. (2020). The practical and ethical challenges in acquiring and sharing digital trace data: Negotiating public-private partnerships. New Media & Society, 22(11), 2058–2080. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820924622
- RatSWD [German Data Forum] (2020): Big data in social, behavioural, and economic sciences: Data access and research data management. RatSWD Output 4 (6). Berlin, German Data Forum (RatSWD). https://doi.org/10.17620/02671.52