In your data management plan, you will be asked about where you are going to store your data during the collection, analysis, dissemination, and preservation stages of the project lifecycle. In selecting a data repository to store your data for long term preservation, it is important to think beyond using local or portable drives. Such devices are not suitable for long-term storage, as they can become faulty or may be stolen. The following bitesize webinar (stored in the SWORD repository), demonstrates how to store your data in an open data repository, as per the University’s rules and regulations:

 

In deciding where to store your research data, base your choice in the following order of preference:

1. Check your funder requirements: your funder(s) may mandate which repository you should use, and they may also have other criteria about the period of storage or the use of embargoes.

2. Use an external data archive or repository already established for your research domain to preserve the data according to recognised standards in your discipline. Such a repository can be searched for at re3data.org. On top of specific research disciplines, you can filter on access categories, data usage licenses, trustworthy data repositories (with a certificate or explicitly adhering to archival standards) and whether a repository gives the data a persistent identifier.

3. If your discipline does not have a recognised data repository, deposit in a cost-free, established, trusted, general data repository such as Zenodo or Figshare.

Familiarise yourself with MTU’s Data Protection Policy. Under GDPR rules, for example, data should not be transferred outside of the EEA, and would require collaboration with the University's Data Protection Officer to do so. The "transfer" of data outside of the EEA includes storing data in cloud storage, where the server itself is located outside of the EEA. https://www.mtu.ie/media/mtu-website/governance/policies-and-publications/data-protection/Data_Protection_Policy.pdf

When choosing a repository, it is important to consider factors such as whether the repository:

- Gives your submitted dataset a persistent and unique identifier (like Zenodo). This is essential for sustainable citations (both for data and publications) and to make sure that research outputs in disparate repositories can be linked back to researchers and grants.

- Provides a landing page for each dataset, with metadata. By describing the dataset with metadata, you are helping others to find it, describe what it is, relate it to publications, and cite it. This makes your research more visible, enabling and stimulating the reuse of the data.

- Helps you to track how the data has been used by providing access and download statistics.

- Responds to community needs and is preferably certified as a ‘trustworthy data repository,’ with an explicit ambition to keep the data available in the long term.

- Matches your data needs (e.g., formats accepted; access, back-up and recovery, and sustainability of the service). Most of this information should be contained within the data repository’s policy pages.

- Offers clear terms and conditions that meet legal requirements (e.g., for data protection) and allows reuse without unnecessary licensing conditions.

- Provides guidance on how to cite the data that has been deposited.

- Is there a service cost involved?