Purposes of Research Data Management

Without having any data yet, you may be wondering what the purpose of RDM during this stage is. These purposes are to:

  1. Run Simulations - “making data up” to answer questions about the validity of using a certain analysis technique

  2. Analyze Existing Data - running power or sensitivity analyses to determine sample size, or practicing an analysis technique that you want to employ

  3. Create Stimuli Scripts - writing your stimulus code and setting it up to run in the laboratory

  4. Run Pilots - acquiring data that is not considered part of your sample

  5. Plan Data Management - outlining and committing to where data is stored, who has access to what files, how data is moved, and when in the timeline of your project.

Unlike many other research centers, at the DCCN you will find that our infrastructure is very straightforward, enabling you to spend more time doing research! However, proper preparation during the Planning Research stage is still imperative, as it helps to prevent delays in the project’s timeeline. We will talk specifically about:

  1. Analyzing Existing Data Sets

  2. Transferring Stimulus Scripts to Lab PCs

  3. Running Pilots

  4. The Project Proposal Procedure

  5. Castor EDC