About Dataguiden

Knowledge of how research data is to be used, what requirements are applicable and what support is available is essential for effective and responsible management throughout the research process – from planning and access to data to analysis, publication and archiving. The content of Dataguiden follows the various stages of the research data cycle and provides guidance for each phase.

The stages of the research data cycle

Plan and identify

A research project typically begins with an idea or hypothesis, which is formalised in clear questions in a research plan. Effective and responsible data management requires knowledge and careful planning from the outset. It is also important to identify and consider relevant legal requirements from the outset.

A data management plan is a support to plan and ensure that data management is carried out in accordance with current legislation and complies with guidelines and procedures for information management, archiving and disposal applicable to the entity where the research is conducted. Many organisations offer support in this process.

The next step is to identify the data sources and types of data that can best answer the project's questions.

The section Plan and identify provides guidance for the initial phase of a research project – from planning data management and considering legal requirements and guiding principles to identifying and evaluating relevant data sources.

Ordering and managing

Once the planning phase is complete and current legal requirements have been addressed, the project can order data from the data holders that have been identified and included in a research plan and any ethics review application. The processes for data disclosure may vary between different data holders, but what they have in common is that an assessment is always made before data can be released.
Different data holders use different systems and approaches to make data available or disclose it. When ordering data, it is sometimes possible to link data from several sources before disclosure. Once disclosure has taken place, and before analysis begins, it is important to check that the data delivered is accurate.
The section Order and manage provides guidance on both ordering data and subsequent management.

Make accessible and preserve

In the final phase of a research project, data is published and archived. Publishing the results creates opportunities for other researchers to continue developing the research area. Research data should be made available as far as possible by applying the principle of ‘as open as possible and as closed as necessary’.

Research data created by Swedish authorities, including higher education institutions (HEIs), are normally considered to be public documents and thus becomes part of the authority’s archive during the research process. This imposes specific requirements for how research data must be handled and stored.

The section Make available and preserve provides guidance for the final phase of a research project.