Research data management

This document describes the Research Data Management training course organized by the World Agroforestry Centre. Data management is a key area in any research and if not done well can limit the usefulness of the data. The numbers we quote and use to reach conclusions must be correct. If research is worth doing it is because we need answers. Erroneous answers will not only damage the reputation of the institute and scientists, but will not help us solve the development problems we are working on. We should therefore be concerned about the validity of every number. Validity of data is not ensured simply by getting the numbers correct, but also by getting the context of the numbers correct. We need to know how and why data were collected in order to make valid interpretations. Sound management of research data is important for two other reasons in addition to ensuring validity. Well-managed datasets will be easy to process, so that the turning of raw data into useful information can be done efficiently. Well-managed datasets will also be accessible in the future, increasing their half-life and adding value. The main aim of this training is to encourage research scientists to allocate necessary resources to data management. These resources include both time and skilled personnel. The course also aims to give participants the necessary skills to handle their data in a systematic and organized way and to preserve their data for future use. Implementing the ideas introduced in the course should lead to: Improved processing efficiency, improved data quality,mproved meaningfulness of the data.

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