Finding Data Repositories
Data repositories are being developed as a result of federal agencies, journals, and scholarly societies mandating that researchers share the data resulting from their research. Repositories have been developed by governments, scholarly societies, institutions, and universities. They can be open (all are invited to deposit and use the data) or closed (only members may deposit or use the data).
USpace: The University of Utah's repository for the intellectual output of researchers. For theses and papers only.
Archaeological Center: Data and artifacts collected by the Center are curated by the Utah Museum of Natural History and are available for study by competent scholars.
Institute for Clean & Secure Energy: contains digital resources related the the ICSE research areas. This repository is now a part of USpace.
For more repositories and information on them, click here.
Formatting Your Data
Formatting your data is important, especially when publishing your research. This includes formatting your metadata to fit your field's standards. Some tips include assigning descriptive names to your files, choosing and using standard terminology, confirming a match between data and their description in metadata, and creating a data dictionary. Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE) provides further suggestions and resources for best practices to format your data.
There are also resources in creating a Data Management Plan and following it.
The DataONE Best Practices database provides individuals with recommendations on how to effectively work with their data through all stages of the data lifecycle. Users can access best practices within the database by either clicking on a stage of the lifecycle, selecting keywords (under advanced search) or using free search.
Digital Preservation refers to a broad range of managed activities designed to preserve the accessibility of digital materials and protect them from loss and obsolescence for as long as necessary.
Find outside resources for digital preservation:
Digital Preservation and Sustainability: this website was created as a group presentation project for a course (Digital Objects and Collections) at the University of Denver.
The Marriott Library: The J. Willard Marriott Library has a mandate to preserve its unique collections in whatever form they exist. When it comes to digital materials, this can be a challenge because they are inherently fragile and can be difficult to maintain in the present while making sure they stay readable and useful for future generations.