Ensuring the Integrity, Accessibility, and Stewardship of Research Data in the Digital Age

As digital technologies are expanding the power and reach of research, they are also raising complex issues. These include complications in ensuring the validity of research data; standards that do not keep pace with the high rate of innovation; restrictions on data sharing that reduce the ability of researchers to verify results and build on previous research; and huge increases in the amount of data being generated, creating severe challenges in preserving that data for long-term use. Ensuring the Integrity, Accessibility, and Stewardship of Research Data in the Digital Age examines the consequences of the changes affecting research data with respect to three issues - integrity, accessibility, and stewardship-and finds a need for a new approach to the design and the management of research projects. The report recommends that all researchers receive appropriate training in the management of research data, and calls on researchers to make all research data, methods, and other information underlying results publicly accessible in a timely manner. The book also sees the stewardship of research data as a critical long-term task for the research enterprise and its stakeholders. Individual researchers, research institutions, research sponsors, professional societies, and journals involved in scientific, engineering, and medical research will find this book an essential guide to the principles affecting research data in the digital age. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Research Data in the Digital Age2 Ensuring the Integrity of Research Data3 Ensuring Access to Research Data4 Promoting the Stewardship of Research Data5 Defining Roles and ResponsibilitiesAppendix A: Biographical Information on the Members of the Committee on Ensuring the Utility and Integrity of Research Data in a Digital AgeAppendix B: Relevant National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council ReportsAppendix C: Letters from Scientific Journals Requesting the StudyIndex