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Research Data Management: Sharing data

Research Data Management (RDM) Library guide

Where should data be deposited for long term preservation?


Research data can either be deposited within BORDaR, BU's own research data repository, or with an external repository.

If depositing externally, a record will be created in BORDaR with a link to the data set. The preference is for data to be hosted externally in a disciplinary repository, increasing the likelihood of the data being found and used by members of the academic community. However, BORDaR is available, particularly when cost or suitability rule out other options.

External repositories

The Registry of Research Data Repositories can be used to find suitable disciplinary repositories. Please be aware that some funders specify or provide guidance around which repository to use. The Data Curation Centre provide a summary of funders' data policies.

BORDaR

Data hosted on BORDaR will be published open access and assigned a DOI for persistent identification. The DOI can be passed to publishers so that any outputs derived from the data (such as journal articles) can link to the data set. In the same way, data sets in BORDaR can link to published articles.

Pre-deposit checklist for BORDaR


Once data is submitted to BORDaR, library staff will review each deposit to check that the data complies with the FAIR principles of data management and any legal or ethical requirements. The checklist below details examples of the things library staff will check. Please read this section prior to submitting your data.

  • Data deposited in BORDaR (or any other repository) should come with appropriate documentation to make sense of the data. This document is usually referred to as a READ ME file. For example, a spreadsheet full of numbers is meaningless unless the headings are understandable and any abbreviations explained. To be useful for future academic research, enough context needs to be provided. Essentially, the supporting information provided should help anyone unfamiliar with the study to use the data with confidence in their own work. The UK Data Service provide additional guidance.
  • Before uploading files onto BORDaR, please check they are formatted in an appropriate standard for long term preservation. In general, this means converting proprietary formats (such as .xlsx or .doc files) into open standards (such as .csv or .txt files). More information about appropriate file formatting is available from the UK Data Service.
  • A metadata record is created for every data set submitted to BORDaR for review. Metadata are standardised and structured descriptive labels applied to an object. The submission form contains a number of fields to describe the data and these need to be completed as fully as possible in line with the guidelines below.
  • Data sets will be reviewed by library staff to check for compliance with relevant legislation. This will be a cursory check: the responsibility for compliance with legislation lies with researcher. The data should be checked, for example, to ensure that information which could identify research participants, in violation of the participant consent, is removed. See our guidance on legal and ethical issues for more information.

How to deposit data in BORDaR


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.