DataPool

The DataPool Project was a research data management infrastructure project funded by the JISC managing research programme from November 2011 until March 2013.   A list of reports and other outputs can be found here with a summary of the purpose and work of the project at the end.  If you would like to contact us for any further information please email ResearchData@soton.ac.uk.

DataPool Outputs

Policy

University of Southampton Research Data Management Policy http://www.calendar.soton.ac.uk/sectionIV/research-data-management.html

Guidance and support

Research Data Management web pages http://www.southampton.ac.uk/library/research/researchdata/

Scott, Mark, Boardman, Richard P., Reed, Philippa A.S. and Cox, Simon J. (2012) Introducing research data. Southampton, GB, University of Southampton, 29pp. http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/338816/

Reports

Beale, Gareth and Pagi, Hembo (2013) Datapool Imaging Case Study: Final Report. Southampton, GB, University of Southampton, 30pp http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/350738

Byatt, Dorothy and White, Wendy (2013) Research data management planning, guidance and support: a DataPool Project report. Southampton, GB, University of Southampton, 16pp http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/351027

Byatt, Dorothy, De Luca, Federico, Gibbs, Harry, Patrick, Meriel, Rumsey, Sally and White, Wendy (2013) Supporting researchers with their research data management: Professional service training requirements – a DataPool project report. Southampton, GB, University of Southampton http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/352107

Byatt, Dorothy, Scott, Mark, Beale, Gareth, Cox, Simon J. and White, Wendy (2013) Developing researcher skills in research data management: training for the future – a DataPool project report. Southampton, GB, University of Southampton, 15pp http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/351026

Hitchcock, Steve and White, Wendy (2013) Towards research data cataloguing at Southampton using Microsoft SharePoint and EPrints: a progress report. University of Southampton http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/352813

Hitchcock, Steve (2013) Collecting and archiving tweets: a DataPool case study. Southampton, GB, University of Southampton, 10pp. http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/350646

White, Wendy and Brown, Mark (2013) DataPool: Engaging with our Research Data Management Policy. University of Southampton, 6pp. http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/351945

White, Wendy, Byatt, Dorothy and Hitchcock, Steve (2013) DataPool: final report. University of Southampton http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/352949

Wisniowski, Arkadiusz, Chivers, Martin and Whitton, Michael (2013) Integrated Modelling of European Migration Database Case Study. University of Southampton, 8pp. http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/350672

Technical outputs

Data Cite DOI Registration plugin (with documentation)  http://bazaar.eprints.org/id/eprint/304

Arkivum A-Stor Storage Backend plugin (with user documentation)  http://bazaar.eprints.org/285/ (Updated Version released 28/06/2013 http://bazaar.eprints.org/313/; documentation)

Integrated Modelling of European Migration (IMEM) Database http://www.imem.cpc.ac.uk/

EPrints data deposit implemented in Soton Service using the ReCollect plugin, developed by Research Data @Essex JISC MRD project  http://bazaar.eprints.org/

Other

Byatt, Dorothy (2013) Mapping Training needs for the support team http://datapool.soton.ac.uk/2013/01/21/mapping-training-needs-for-the-support-team/ [blog]

Hitchcock, Steve (2013) Cost benefit analysis experience of Southampton research data producers http://datapool.soton.ac.uk/2013/03/21/cost-benefit-analysis-experience-of-southampton-research-data-producers/ [blog]

Articles

Beale, Gareth, Hitchcock, Steve, Pagi, Hembo and Boardman, Richard P. (2013) Supporting data management for 3D and raster data: lessons learned from the DataPool project. Presented at Society for Imaging Science and Technology Archiving, April 2-5 2013, Washington D.C Archiving, 9

Scott, Mark, Boardman, Richard, Reed, Philippa and Cox, Simon J (2013) Research Data Management Education for Future Curators. International Journal of Digital Curation 8(1) http://dx.doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v8i1.261

Presentations

Beale, Gareth (2012) DataPool 3D: surveying institutional data practice, Creative DigiFest, Oct 11 2012, Southampton

Beale, Gareth (2013) Imaging work looking at multi-disciplinary requirements and use of equipment, Jisc Managing Research Data Programme Workshop: Achievements, Challenges and Recommendations, Aston Business School, 25-26 March 2013

Byatt, Dorothy (2012) JISC DataPool Building capacity, developing skills, supporting researchers. Presentation at Demystifying Research Data: don’t be scared be prepared: A joint JIBS/RLUK event, Tuesday 17th July, Brunei Gallery at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), London. http://www.slideshare.net/JIBSUK/dorothy-byatt-jibsrluk-event-july-2012

Coles, Simon, Milsted, Andrew and White, Wendy (2013) Implementing DOIs for Data: DataPool supporting institutional service development. In, Jisc Managing Research Data Programme Workshop, Achievements, Challenges and Recommendations, Birmingham, GB http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/351178

Earl, Graeme (2012) JISC DataPool, Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 26-19 March 2012, Southampton

Earl, Graeme, Beale, Gareth, Pagi, Hembo, White, Wendy(paper) JISC DataPool: The relationship between institutional and discipline based repositories, World Archaeological Congress, Jan 13-18 2013, Jordan

Hitchcock, Steve (2012) To architect or engineer? Lessons from DataPool on building RDM repositories, RDMF9, Nov 14-15 2012, Cambridge http://www.dcc.ac.uk/webfm_send/950

Scott, Mark, Boardman, Richard, Reed, Philippa,Cox, Simon J. (2013) Research Data Management Education for Future Curators, 14-16 Jan 8th International Digital Curation Conference, Amsterdam http://www.dcc.ac.uk/webfm_send/1139

White, Wendy, Byatt, Dorothy (2012), Research Data Guidance: turning policy into practice, JISC MRD Programme Meeting, Oct 24-25 2012, Nottingham

Posters

Byatt, Dorothy, Beale, Gareth, Hitchcock, Steve, Pagi, Hembo, Scott, Mark, Cox, Simon J., Earl, Graeme and White, Wendy (2013) Working collaboratively with PhD and early career researchers: agents for change. At 8th International Digital Curation Conference “Infrastructure, Intelligence, Innovation: Driving the Data Science Agenda“, Amsterdam, NL, 14 – 16 Jan 2013. 1pp http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/351492

Byatt, Dorothy, Hancock, Peter, Hitchcock, Steve and White, Wendy (2011) DataPool: building capacity, developing skills, supporting researchers. At 7th International Digital Curation Conference “Public? Private? Personal? Navigating the Open Data Landscape“, Bristol, GB, 05 Dec 2011 – 07 Dec 2013. 1pp http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/343545

Hitchcock, Steve, Byatt, Dorothy, White, Wendy (2012), DataPool: building capacity, developing skills, supporting researchers, JISC MRD Programme Meeting, Oct 24-25 2012, Nottingham http://www.slideshare.net/jiscdatapool/datapool-progress-poster-oct-2012

Purpose and work of the project

Research findings are underpinned by the data produced by the research. Cutting-edge research must both be testable and reproducible if it is to be verified and used widely.

In the digital environment it is possible to construct workflows that connect the generation of research data with access and publication services, including institutional repositories, with consequences for the structure, scope and scale of the data produced, and therefore for the task of data storage and access.

Recognising the principle and practice of making research data accessible and usable has led research funders to produce policies directing how this should happen. Now research institutions such as universities are beginning to produce data policies both to comply with the funder policies and to assist their researchers with data management and storage.

The University of Southampton is developing research data management services, and has established a 10-year roadmap to guide this process in a first phase project, the JISC-funded Institutional Data Management Blueprint (IDMB). The DataPool Project follows that work in seeking to build capacity within the University to support effective data management practice across all disciplines, including multi-disciplinary activity, throughout the data lifecycle. This will be underpinned by development of a clear policy framework, an enhanced technical infrastructure and a strategy for supporting researchers in managing their data, in line with the first phase of the roadmap.

Some services already provide support for research data management, often serving specific disciplines or subjects, but these are not designed to provide comprehensive coverage of funded research. Complementing this is the institutional approach, to collect and store all research data produced across disciplines within the institution. Institutions are aligned with their researchers in wanting to support high quality research, so it is natural for the institution to seek to develop a framework to assist its researchers in managing their research. Supporting the management of data is an increasingly important component of this framework.

The development of institutional research data services is at an early stage. Where these have been piloted the scope of the required services has been identified, but full implementation, feasibility and viability still have to be demonstrated. By extending this work at the University of Southampton, the DataPool Project will produce an evidence base for establishing and scaling-up these services to meet whole-institutional needs.