4. Data storage during and after a research project

Research data must be kept safely both during the research project and for a certain period after its completion. In practice, storing data means mainly saving it on a hard disc etc. It is the researcher’s responsibility to ensure that research data are stored appropriately and according to the required protection level.

The appropriate storage solution depends on the characteristics of the data: size, type, and the sensitivity of any personal data. Upon the completion of a research project, discipline specific differences may apply to the data storage practices. You can check storage solutions in your own field from your own facility or unit.

After the planned retention period comes to an end, research data must be disposed of appropriately and by paying close attention to information security. These measures are also part of good scientific practice and good research data management.

Storage of research data and backup during the research

During a research project, the project members are usually responsible for the maintenance and safe storage and processing of the data. In this case, we are talking about information security, which is the systematic safeguarding of information in a manner that keeps the information available while preventing of falling into the wrong hands.

Another key concept in managing research data is data protection, which refers to the protection of personal data. Data security can be seen as one means of implementing data protection, as stated on the data protection commissioner’s (ombudsman) website.

In addition to protecting personal and sensitive data, taking care of data security protects the intellectual property rights of research data (e.g., copyright and patent rights), prevents their misuse and minimizes the risks of data loss or damage.

Every researcher should be aware of their own organization’s guidelines for data storage and data security. The instructions of the University of Eastern Finland can be found on the internal Heimo websites (requires UEF login):

Research data management during research (instructions maintained by UEF’s research IT services)
Information protection and handling instructions (the website also links to UEF’s data protection instructions)

At the beginning of the research project, find out what storage solutions are available in your organization. Find out whether your research data contains sensitive information, personal information, politically sensitive information, or trade secrets. If your data contains the aforementioned information, make sure to choose the appropriate storage solution for your sensitive data. If you produce a lot of data, you may need additional storage space. Carefully consider, who needs access to your research data and what they have the right to do with it. Upon these aspects, pick the most suitable storage option for your data.

Backing up files protects against data loss and hence forms an essential part of research data management. Remember that you are responsible for your own research data, not the IT department or the organization. That is why it is very important to plan the data storage carefully along with a clear backup strategy.

Explain in your data management plan (DMP) how you plan to take care of backups, whether you intend to rely on manual backups (you or someone in your group must do it) or they will be automated. It is especially important to plan and implement backups when significant changes are made to the data.

Sharing and transferring research data

Storing research data can be difficult if data have to be moved between different locations, collaborators or within research groups. If several researchers are involved, create a plan with your collaborators and ensure you have a safe method for transferring data between the parties. If personal data or otherwise sensitive data is transferred, it is particularly important to ensure that the transfer is secure and confidential.

In the UEF instructions mentioned in the previous section (storage and backup), you can find information about the organization’s storage services, which can also be used with external partners.

Some practical tips when transferring sensitive data:

if using e-mail for transfer, use secure e-mail or send the data as an encrypted attachment
make sure that only designated recipients have access to the data.

Personal data may be transferred to EU and EEA member states on the same grounds as within Finland, but special regulations concerning the processing of personal data, sensitive personal data or other sensitive data must be ensured with international partners.

Retention period of research data

After the research, the research data must be kept for at least a fixed period to enable verification of the research results, if necessary. The appropriate storage period depends on several factors. According to the guidelines of the University of Eastern Finland, research data should be stored for at least five years after the research, unless they are subject to, for example, legislative storage time requirements. Check out these UEF guidelines Storage of research materials after research at the University of Eastern Finland.

The instructions can help you determine the storage period suitable for your research data. As a rule, the UEF storage systems are suitable for temporary storage as long as someone in the research team is connected with UEF.

When planning the storage period for data, it is good to consider whether the data can be used again or if there are some other reasons why the data should be kept for a longer period after the research. If the research data contains personal data, the data protection guidelines must be followed. Personal data can only be stored for as long as it is necessary for the research. After that, the data must either be destroyed or anonymized, i.e., all personal data must be deleted (see chapter 2 in this learning material).

Data repositories and data reusability

The preservation and reusability of research data can be ensured by storing the data in a data repository or archive after the research. The recommendation is to make research data as openly available as possible, but this is not always possible for legal reasons, for example. The open sharing of research data is discussed in the next chapter of this learning material (chapter 5).

In addition to the actual material, information describing its content and technical properties, i.e., metadata, are necessary so that the research data can be found and used. Metadata and description of research data have been discussed in the previous chapter of this learning material (chapter 3).

The safest option to guarantee long-term data storage is to transform the data to a file format that most programs can handle. This often means open, i.e., non-commercial, file formats. During the analysis phase however, researchers should use file formats and programs best suited for their research.

After the analyzes are done and the data is being prepared for storage, it is worth considering changing the data to a standard, long-lasting file format. More instructions for choosing a suitable file format can be found in the Data Management manual: File formats and software, provided by Finnish Social Science Data Archive.

Watch the video

A horror story of trying to reuse research data: Data Sharing and Management Snafu in 3 Short Acts, NYU Health Sciences Library, CC-BY (4:40).

Data disposal

Planned destruction of research data is an essential part of safe research data management. For example, simply deleting a file from a hard drive does not always delete the file completely. Sometimes it is necessary to overwrite the file, which ensures the permanent deletion of the data. Your organization’s IT services can help in such situations.

You can find UEF’s instructions on the university’s internal Heimo website under information security, where there are links to, e.g., up-to-date training materials for university personnel.

To consider

How do you take care of the backup of your research data?
How do you share the data with others in your research team?
Where and how do you keep and store your data after completing the research project?

Further information

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