How can you manage your historical research data better?

3 Ensure data quality

Another important aspect of data management is ensuring the quality and reliability of your data. You should check your data for accuracy, completeness, and consistency throughout the research process. You should also record any changes or corrections you make to your data using version control or tracking systems. Version control or tracking systems are tools that record the history and changes of your data files, such as Git or Dropbox. You should also verify and validate your data using quality control or quality assurance methods. Quality control or quality assurance methods are techniques that check your data for errors, outliers, or anomalies, such as cross-checking, sampling, or testing.

4 Preserve your data

Preserving your data means ensuring that your data are accessible and usable in the long term. You should consider the durability, security, and compatibility of your data storage options. You should also follow the FAIR principles for data preservation. The FAIR principles are guidelines that aim to make your data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable by humans and machines. You can use tools such as Zenodo or Figshare to archive and share your data in a FAIR way.

5 Share your data

Sharing your data means making your data available and discoverable for other researchers and the public. Sharing your data can enhance the transparency, reproducibility, and impact of your research. You should consider the benefits and risks of sharing your data, such as the potential for collaboration, citation, or misuse. You should also consider the ethical and legal issues of sharing your data, such as the consent, privacy, and ownership of your data. You can use tools such as Creative Commons or DataCite to license and cite your data.

6 Learn from others

Managing your historical research data better is not a one-time task, but a continuous learning process. You can learn from other historical researchers who have successfully managed their data by reading their publications, blogs, or podcasts. You can also join online communities, networks, or events that focus on historical research data management, such as the Research Data Alliance or the Digital Humanities Network. You can also seek advice or support from data experts, such as librarians, archivists, or data stewards.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?