Development of a Generic Model for the Preservation of Primary Research Data Based Digital Resources Life Cycle

Development of a Generic Model for the Preservation Primary Research Data Based Digital Resources Life Cycle

Irwan Kamaruddin Abdul Kadir and Alwi Mohd Yunus
Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA
UiTM Selangor, Malaysia

DOI: 10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i11/3432 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i11/3432

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of a generic preservation model for the preservation of social science primary research data and records created by research institutions and related organizations in Malaysia. This paper also presents the analysing of various best practice pragmatic examples policies, guidelines and models on recordkeeping functional requirements and data archiving. The result of the analysis leads to the analysis of the InterPARES Chain of Preservation (CoP) model and United Kingdom Data Archives (UKDA) Life Cycle model that underpin the construction of the generic model.

Keywords: Preservation Model, Research Data, Ukda, Life Cycle

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321162050_Development_of_a_Generic_Model_for_the_Preservation_of_Primary_Research_Data_Based_Digital_Resources_Life_Cycle

A Generic Preservation Model Based Cop Elements of Primary Research Data and Records

A Generic Preservation Model Based Cop Elements of Primary Research Data and Records

Alwi Mohd Yunus & Irwan Kamaruddin Abdul Kadir
Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA
UiTM Selangor, Malaysia

DOI: 10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i11/3440 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i11/3440

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to propose a construction of the preservation framework for the preservation of social science research data and records in digital formats for the Malaysian case in order to fulfil the third objective of the study. It starts with the synthesis of mapping up the data from survey questionnaires and qualitative data gathered from face-to-face interviews against the elements of the generic preservation framework for the preservation of primary research data and records in digital format. This paper ends with the verification of the preservation framework elements by the interviewees in a focus group discussion from the three agencies involved in this study.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321161879_A_Generic_Preservation_Model_Based_Cop_Elements_of_Primary_Research_Data_and_Records?_iepl%5BviewId%5D=nNdb1or3smH0fhqh6078Y13RlScfqiFGWlUb&_iepl%5Bcontexts%5D%5B0%5D=prfhpi&_iepl%5Bdata%5D%5BstandardItemCount%5D=4&_iepl%5Bdata%5D%5BuserSelectedItemCount%5D=0&_iepl%5Bdata%5D%5BtopHighlightCount%5D=2&_iepl%5Bdata%5D%5BstandardItemIndex%5D=3&_iepl%5Bdata%5D%5BstandardItem3of4%5D=1&_iepl%5BtargetEntityId%5D=PB%3A321161879&_iepl%5BinteractionType%5D=publicationCTA

Managing the Preservation of Records for Digital Primary Data: A Case of Malaysia Institution

Managing the Preservation of Records for Digital Primary Data: A Case of Malaysia Institution

Alwi Mohd Yunus and Irwan Kamaruddin Abdul Kadir
Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA
UiTM Selangor, Malaysia

DOI: 10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i11/3441 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i11/3441

Abstract
Concerns raised about the lack of preservation initiatives and poor access to global scientific knowledge in the form of primary research data and records for research in the turn of the 20th century resulted in the development of a variety of ways to remedy the inadequacies associated with scholarly research data/products and dissemination of knowledge pertaining to research activities. The aim of the paper is to examine the needs for the surveyed social science research institutions in Malaysian government for the preservation of their digital primary research data. This paper presents the findings of the survey questionnaires of the existing practices on the preservation of primary research data in the selected Malaysian research institutions and related organizations. The questions asked in the survey were based on the elements of the generic preservation framework.

Keywords: Digital Data, Preservation, Primary Data, Research Data


https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321162007_Managing_the_Preservation_of_Records_for_Digital_Primary_Data_A_Case_of_Malaysia_Institution

When data is not managed....

Dear all

What records is not a record is what most people are confused with. When a record is born, it is a record. After sometimes, it is not. How do we know?

Similarly, what data is not a data and how do we come to know about it?

Recently, in one of the training session I had with one of the major medical research institute in the country, I was asked to give a talk on Data Management to researchers in medical and bio-medical area. The researchers focused on conducting non lab and lab based research on the area; medical and bio-medical. Majority of them are already more than 8 years in such activity. Inevitably, they have conducted and collected many data. Indeed they have voluminous research data at their disposal.

Me: Where is your data?
Researcher: All in our personal computers.

Me: Do you keep your data?
Researcher: Yes we do keep our research data.

Me: Do you have a backup for all your data.
Researcher: Yes we do have the backup in our personal computer too.

Such was the earlier conversation I had with them. I started delivering my talk and training.

Through out the session, I started asking more questions to my audience.

Me: Let say, if I want to find out what data in your possession, how do I go about it? Do I need to meet each and everyone of you for the data?
Researcher: You must come to see us, it is in our holding. And we need to know what kind of data you need because we need to identify the requested data.

Me: Is there any specific convention by which your data is differentiated between each other? How do I know your data is not redundant or similar with your colleagues?
Researcher: You would not know unless you compare with other data residing with our colleague one by one.

Me: If you are not around, can I ask the data from your colleagues?
Researcher: No, you don't, because the data is safely kept by us.

Later, I started to give some kind of insight to them.

I said to them, if you have the data, and your data is kept in silo, you yourself is the owner and others would not be able to know what type of data you keep unless they request it from you, and at the same time your back up is in the same pc and should something happen, what do you think is the worst case scenario?

Me: Do you think your data is correctly safeguarded? Do you think this is good practice of data management? Do you think that in future, there would be possibility other researchers would be undergoing the same redundant research because you don't share your research?
Researcher: murmm...

Such a state of affair occurs in one of the leading research institution in the country. It is not in dire state, but there is possibility of redundant research, data lost, data mismanagement, data misplaced, data not found, data relevancy, slow retrieval of data, wrong decision making due to outdated or non integrated data.....these are among the possibility of failure data management. More so of total data breakdown due to disaster or system breakdown, or data corrupt and of course financial lost due to data lost and mismanagement.

Therefore, proper research data management is very much needed that complies with proper record keeping practices. Understanding the research data management and implementing research data management framework in data management is critical for business and organizational continuity.....

In the end, a need to understand, analyze, evaluate, select, categorize, use, and preserve what data is required for current and future use or activity is critical to the continuity of business and organizational operation. This avoids the need for redundant efforts of doing things again and again in the context of research activities. More accurate findings and decision making could be derived from there and further research would make possible new findings rather than arriving to inaccurate conclusion.

What type and category of data we keep and what need to be selected and disposed as well as preserved of is indeed critical in research and development that would spur growth and development. Failure which, data access, data archiving, data usage, data re-purpose, data reuse and data preservation would not be useful at all.

Benefits from digital preservation of research data

Direct Benefits

-New research opportunities

-Scholarly communication/access to data

-Re-purposing and re-use of data

-Increasing research productivity

-Stimulating new networks/collaborations

-Knowledge transfer to industry

- Increasing skills base of researchers/students/staff

-Increasing productivity/economic growth

-Verification of research/research integrity

-Fulfilling mandate(s)

Indirect Benefits

-No re-creation of data

-No loss of future research opportunities

-Lower future preservation costs

-Re-purposing data for new audiences

-Re-purposing methodologies

-Use by new audiences

-Protecting returns on earlier investments



Near-Term Benefits

-Value to current researcher & students

-No data lost from Post Doc turnover

-Short-term re-use of well curated data

-Secure storage for data intensive research

-Availability of data underpinning journal articles


Long Term Benefits

-Secures value to future researchers & students

-Adds value over time as collection grows and develops critical mass

-Planned management from an early stage in the research lifecycle is ultimately more cost-effective than late intervention (providing proper selection of what to keep is done)


Private Benefits

-Benefits to sponsor/funder of research/archive

-Benefits to researcher

-Fulfil grant obligations

-Increased visibility/citation

-Commercialising research



Public Benefits

-Input for future research

-Motivating new research

-Catalysing new companies and high skills employment

Knowing Data Archive...

Dear all...Salam ukhuwwah!

Some excerpts from my thesis......

Background to the UK Data Archive
The UK Data Archive at the University of Essex is one of a worldwide network of data archives which had their origins in preserving and providing access to social science data for use by the academic community. Like many of these archives The Data Archive has expanded its role beyond social science data and it now services users outside of the academic community. It was established 30 years ago and is located at the University of Essex, a university with especial strengths in social science and economics. The Data Archive exists to promote wider and more informed use of data in research and teaching and to preserve these data so that they continue to be accessible over time. Its holdings are acquired from a wide variety of sources including central and local government, academia, independent research agencies and commercial sources such as market research agencies. Many of the activities of The Data Archive will be familiar to librarians and keepers of more conventional paper archives. They include:
- establishing user needs to determine what data should be acquired
- negotiating to acquire the data and to determine the conditions of access
- clarifying any confidentiality restrictions
- assisting data providers to create documentation required by secondary users
- validation of data and documentation
- supplementing documentation by adding information on format, media, conditions of access, and on the outcome of quality checks
- preservation of the data and documentation on different media and the establishment of a programme to check for data corruption, to refresh existing media and to migrate onto new media
- cataloguing and indexing by professional staff
- reformatting the data, digitising documentation and delivering data and documentation to users promoting use and supporting users.

DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION MANAGE THEIR DATA???

DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE THESE?

IF NOT........get ready towards it! Let me know, I will help as necessary!