Last updated on 15 August 2026
Before your research begins, you need to make a plan and determine what steps need to be completed prior to data collection.
You will need to:
- Determine how to fund your research
- Investigate whether there are pre-existing data that can be used in your research
- Write a data management plan
- Determine where you will store your research data and other materials
- Determine if you need technical support to carry out your research
- Determine your privacy, legal and security requirements* for your research
- Determine your ethical requirements*, particularly if your research is medical in nature.
- Use the ICF generator to create your consent forms/information letters; also review this checklist once the form and letter are ready to ensure all requirements are met
- If your medical research requires participants' insurance, complete this form to be included in the VU participants' insurance scheme
- Pre-register your research proposal
* Start these processes as early as possible. The requirements are explained further in the pages referenced above.
Before your research begins, you should also look ahead at the information on the pages During Research and After Research. In particular, consider whether (some of) your data will be shared at the end of your research, as this will have consequences for your data management planning as well as your privacy, legal, security and ethical requirements.