The RDM division provides guidelines on various aspects of research data management to help USM researchers manage their research data effectively. These guidelines cover a range of topics including:

Data Management Planning: This includes guidance on how to create a data management plan that outlines how research data will be collected, organized, stored, shared, and preserved.

Organizing Data: This includes guidance on how to organize research data, including file naming conventions, folder structures, and version control.

Metadata: This includes guidance on creating metadata to describe research data, including the use of standardized metadata schemes.

File Formats: This includes guidance on selecting appropriate file formats for research data to ensure long-term preservation and access.

Retention: This includes guidance on how long research data should be retained, based on legal and ethical requirements, and the potential for future use.

Storage and Backup: This includes guidance on how to store and backup research data securely to ensure its long-term preservation and accessibility.

Data Security: This includes guidance on how to ensure the security of research data, including protection against unauthorized access and data breaches.

Ownership and Rights: This includes guidance on how to establish ownership and rights for research data and how to manage these aspects throughout the research lifecycle.

Ethics and Consent: This includes guidance on how to ensure that research data is collected and managed in an ethical manner and that informed consent is obtained from research participants.

Sharing and Disseminating Data: This includes guidance on how to share and disseminate research data, including the use of open access repositories and data sharing agreements.