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Research Data Management: Depositing data in BORDaR

Research Data Management (RDM) Library guide

What should be deposited in BORDaR?

BORDaR is BU's research data repository. Research data is the evidence collected or generated during the course of research with a view to its use as a basis for research findings. For example, interview transcripts, survey responses, images, observational data, results from experiments etc. BU staff and postgraduate researchers are required under the Research Data Policy to deposit their data in BORDaR (or another suitable data repository) following the end of the research project.


Selecting data for deposit

The Data Management Plan (DMP) completed at the start of the project should have identified any data selected for long-term preservation. This is any data needed to validate research findings, or which could be valuable to future research. For example, if research findings in a thesis or publication are based on interviews, the transcripts would be needed for anyone to re-run an analysis. In addition, if a researcher decides to conduct similar research in 10 years time, the transcripts could be useful for comparative analysis.

However, it may not be appropriate to deposit everything:

  • There may be legal or ethical limitations to data sharing which take precedence. For example:
    • It may not be possible to fully anonymise the data.
    • Where contractual agreements, trade secrets or commercial sensitivity prohibit data sharing.
    • Other high-risk data
    • Datasets which include 3rd party data.
  • The cost of long term storage means it is necessary to be selective. For example:
    • Some data can be easily reproduced provided all the necessary documentation is made available. Where that is the case, it is not necessary to deposit the data itself. For example, the output from a computer simulation could be reproduced if all the relevant inputs (source data, software requirements, code etc.) are documented and made available instead.
    • Some formats are larger and more costly than others to store, so consider which formats are necessary to preserve. For example, interview data may have been recorded and transcribed. The audio file will be much larger than text file. Unless the research relies on the recorded sounds (e.g., a study on regional accents) it would be better to only deposit the transcription. This would make anonymising the data easier too!

Pre-deposit checklist

Before depositing data in BORDaR, check the following:

Deposit or not to deposit?

  • Check the guidance above (Selecting data for deposit) to make sure it's appropriate to deposit your data. 
  • BU's Research Data Policy states that "data must not be deposited if to do so would breach any legal obligations or ethical principles."
  • It is the responsibility of the researcher to comply with this policy.

Participant consent

  • In most cases, participants are asked to consent to sharing their data.
  • Check your records to confirm participant consent is in place before submitting data to BORDaR.  

 

Anonymise the data

  • Check for identifiers and anonymise the data.
  • This is especially important for sensitive data. For example, special category personal data.
  • We’ve produced guidance on anonymisation so researchers are aware of the many ways participants might be identifiable, and common anonymisation techniques.
  • You will need to confirm your data has been fully anonymised before submitting the data. Watch the short 5-minute video below.

Address copyright issues

  • Datasets cannot be deposited if they contain 3rd party data.
  • Third party data is any data owned by another individual or organisation. For example:
    • NHS data supplied by an NHS Trust
    • Data supplied by businesses such as sales figures
    • Commercial data, referring to data acquired via commercial databases
  • Third party data remains copyright protected and cannot be deposited in BORDaR even if data sources have been combined to create a new database.
  • Copyright is also shared between all creators of a dataset, usually the research team in a collaborative project.
  • The consent of all copyright holders is needed to publish data. This is best planned for by reaching agreements at the start of a research project.
  • The terms of any agreements made need to be followed.
  • Confirm you have the right to publish the data before submitting to BORDaR.

Open file formats

Create documentation

  • You will need to upload with your data any documentation needed to make sense of it. For example,
    • A spreadsheet of survey results would be meaningless if it’s impossible to link the columns with the question asked in the survey.
    • A spreadsheet listing results from measurements is useless if the unit of measurement is omitted.
    • Transcripts can benefit from inclusion of the interview schedule or protocol.
  • When submitting your data, put yourself in the shoes of another researcher who was not involved with your project. Consider what they would need to know how to use your data or replicate your study.
  • The UK Data Service provide guidance on data documentation.

File size

How to deposit data in BORDaR

If data has been deposited elsewhere, a metadata record should be created in BORDaR. If that's the case, follow the instructions below but under 'Upload Files 1' > jump to 'No files to upload'.

1. Login to BORDaR

  1. Go to http://bordar.bournemouth.ac.uk/ and click Login on the top left of the screen.

  2. If the login doesn't automatically take you there, click Manage deposits

  3. Click on New Item

2. Upload Files 1

    If you have data to upload onto BORDaR:

  1. Upload the file by clicking on Choose file.


    2. Skip the next step and proceed to Upload Files 2.


    If your data is hosted on another repository:

  2. Go to No file to upload?


    Type in the name of the repository hosting the data in Where is your data kept?


    Add the URL to the external dataset in the What is the URI? field


    Select the Identifier Type: DOI, and add the DOI to the data in the Identifier field.


    Skip the next step and proceed to Dataset Details 1.

3. Upload Files 2

  1. Click on Show options to add metadata.

  2. Complete the fields and repeat for each file uploaded.

    3. Field Description
    Content type If adding a zipped bundle of files, select Full Archive.


    A README file is a text document which should make the data usable to anyone without prior association with it. For example, it might explain the meaning of coded column headings in a spreadsheet.

    Documentation would describe any other documents associated with the data. For example, a description of the project.

    A separate metadata file goes under Additional Metadata. If the metadata is included in another document, don’t upload it again here.

    Data describes not only quantitative figures in a spreadsheet, but any primary material used in research e.g. survey results, images, audio recordings, archival materials, field notes, software etc.
    Type This is the file format for the document being added.
    Description Enter a brief description of the item being added. E.g. Anonymised interview transcripts.
    Language The primary language used in the file.
    Visible to Data added to BORDaR should be visible to Anyone.
    Embargo date Embargoed content is not currently being added to BORDaR.
    Reason for embargo Embargoed content is not currently being added to BORDaR.
    Licence Please select the most appropriate licence for the data deposit. The licence types are explained on the Creative Commons website.

  3. Click Next to proceed

4. Dataset Details 1


  1. The Title of dataset should be descriptive by making reference to the study or the project

  2. The Description should be equivalent to an abstract

  3. The Research / Data Type should be the most appropriate from this list:
    • Audio
    • Code
    • Database
    • Image
    • Machine/Instrument log
    • Mixed
    • Model
    • Other
    • Software
    • Text
    • Video

  4. The time period when the data was collected or gathered.

  5. The Data Collection Method. The description should be sufficient for the study to be replicated by someone with no prior association with the study.

5. Dataset Details 2

  1. Add details of all the Creators / authors. Click on the question mark to see how it should be formatted

  2. If there were any companies or corporate bodies involved in the data creation e.g. an external laboratory, provide details in Corporate creators. Any additional accreditation for the data creation should be detailed in Contributors.

  3. Contact Details should record the details of the primary contact for the data. This is usually the Principal Investigator.

  4. Groups. Select the appropriate faculty or service associated with the data creation. Multiple groups can be selected by holding down the Ctrl key.

6. Dataset Details 3

  1. Complete the Funder name(s) and Grant reference number(s) fields if applicable.

  2. Use the Related Resources fields to link the dataset with, for example, publications based on the data. If linking to a publication, please provide details of the Publisher and its Status. Please provide a Resource Identifier (usually a DOI) if available and select the appropriate option in Identifier Type. A web link is also needed in the URL field.

  3. Complete the Statement on legal, ethical and access issues and click on the question mark for further instructions and examples.


    4. Click on Next to proceed.

7. Keywords

  1. Enter Keywords or phrases that best describe the data collection, separated by commas (,).


    2. Click on Next to proceed.

8. Further Details 1

  1. If applicable, provide an Alternative Title and Alternative Description.
    Geographic location is applicable if the data was collected in and about a specific geographical location. The Temporal Extent is concerned with the time period related to the data, if different from the collection. For example, data representing a historical period.

  2. Data processing and preparation activities should be completed so that the study can be replicated by someone without any prior association with the project. For example, has the data been reformatted or cleaned in any way?


    3. Click on Next to proceed.

9. Further Details 2

  1. The Publisher is Bournemouth University (data deposited first in BORDaR). If the data is or was first hosted externally, the publisher is the institution or repository name.


    If the data is or was first hosted externally, the Status would usually be Published. Leave blank if the data isn't hosted elsewhere


    The Original publication URL should link to the data if it is or was first hosted externally. There's no need to do this again if the URL was added earlier (in 'Upload Files 1')


    The Date field is the publication date of the data. For externally hosted data, this is the date the data was published on the host platform. If the data is hosted on BORDaR, repository staff will complete this field when the record is approved from review.


    The Date type should be Publication. Repository staff will complete this if the data is hosted on BORDaR.


  2. Please provide details of the Copyright holders of the data

  3. The Additional Information field should be used for anything you think may be useful but wouldn't fit elsewhere. If you would like to provide information to BORDaR staff which won’t be visible publicly, use the Administrative note field.


    4. Click on Next to proceed.

10. Deposit

  1. Click on Deposit Item Now to send the record to BORDaR staff for review. Please note that clicking the deposit button indicates agreement with the terms set out on the page.


    2. BORDaR staff will be in contact if any clarification or additional information is required before the record in published from review.