Research data includes all information necessary for scientific research, including text files, images, code, audio files, video files, spreadsheets, databases, surveys, geographical information, computational models, interview transcriptions, material evidence, etc.

Research Data Management

Research Data Management (RDM) involves all stages of the research life-cycle, including the planning and formulation of the project (e.g., by filling in a Data Management Plan [DMP]), the proper storage of research data, proper archiving, documentation, licensing, and publication. Researchers at the School of Religion and Theology (SRT), including external researchers, utilize the VU DMPonline tool to compose their Data Management Plan, which can then be reviewed by the SRT data steward. Many aspects of RDM are informed by whether a project collects and/or processes personal data, as defined by the GDPR. In such cases, there are stricter security and privacy requirements and the project will be needed to be reviewed by the ethical review board (CWBE) of SRT.

VU RDM Handbook

Common RDM questions and concerns are addressed in the VU RDM Handbook. It includes topics and guides on practical matters such as selecting appropriate data storage, archive selection, data licensing, as well as more specific guides for various RDM infrastructure that is supported at the VU, such as Qualtrics, Yoda, Research Drive, etc. More detailed policy information can be found on the RDM policy page, which has the central, university-wide RDM policy and the SRT RDM policy.

Contact

At the SRT, the first point of contact for RDM related questions and concerns – that are not addressed by looking through the RDM Handbook – is the SRT data steward: rdm.srt@vu.nl. Alternatively and additionally, the central RDM support desk can be contacted at: rdm@vu.nl.