Research degrees
Your research methods may include the collection of information which can be interpreted or analysed to frame answers to your research questions, or increase knowledge of your research topic. Information can be collected in various ways (interviews, surveys, experiments, observations, critical appraisal of texts, literature or works of art or other artefacts) and requires different types of management.
For the purposes of compliance with ethics and data storage
policies, 'data' means 'original information which is
collected, stored, accessed, used or disposed of during the
course of the research, and the final report of the research
findings'.
Numerical or quantitative information is obtained from research methods such as surveys of populations or from repeated experimental procedures. When recording data it is important to include detailed information (such as dates and place of collection, methods of measurement, units of measurement) to minimise confusion. Numerical data are usually recorded on printed data-sheets, and then stored in spreadsheet format.
In some cases, data may initially be recorded by handheld
computers or specialised data-recorders which can later be
downloaded to more secure devices. Data recorders can often be
set up to record data remotely, without the requirement that
researchers be present. Such techniques are frequently used in
meteorological research or in situations where it would be too
hazardous for a researcher to be present (industrial chemistry
applications, space research).
Qualitative (non-numerical) information may be recorded during interviews with subjects, often on video or audiotape, possibly with supporting notes, and may be transcribed into written form later. Other qualitative information describing and interpreting texts or artefacts may also be recorded in written form and stored on index-cards or as Word files. This material may be coded for themes with the use of software programs that search for keywords or strings, or it may be done manually. The transcripts may also be treated as texts for analysis.
Visual information may be recorded as photographic plates as
well as slides, digitally as computerised files, or as
hand-drawn diagrams.
Before you begin your research, you should think about the way in which you are going to store any data you collect. You must ensure that all your data is stored in accordance with the University guidelines on Data Storage. These guidelines have been developed in response to University obligations under the Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act and the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research
The main issues to consider in terms of data storage are privacy and secure access. Firstly, while you are performing your research, you must store any information that may be considered confidential in a manner that cannot be accessed by anyone outside the research project. Secondly, when you are writing up your report, it must be presented in such a way that people with access can reliably check your findings.
You will need to seriously consider your methods of data storage during the course of your research if you plan to use or generate:
If you and your Supervisor are in doubt, you may consult a more detailed checklist, Section 2 of the Guidelines for preparing ethics protocols (RTF file), and the Ethics Protocol Proforma (RTF file).
For more information see Requirements and guidelines for research data storage (Research and Innovation Services)
All research requires the search and collation of information from published literature for inclusion in the literature review. It can be convenient to use index-cards, photocopied pro-forma sheets to record catalogue numbers, authors, dates of publication, page numbers, titles, and all other information that you will require for referencing and when you are preparing your reference list or bibliography.
Bibliographic information can also be transcribed or recorded directly into Endnote, a computer-based bibliographic program. Endnote can be linked to Microsoft Word or other word processing packages, so that you can enter citations as you write, and then print out a bibliography in a range of formats, without having to re-enter the details every time. The Library provides information on how to obtain and use EndNote or RefWorks. Research ethics require that any information or data collected as part of your research must be stored in a secure place in your School or Area for a minimum of seven years so that its validity can be checked if necessary. Data collected on corruptible media such as audiotapes or computer disks should be transferred to a more durable format for storage.
