Data Storage Fact Sheet

A Data Storage Fact Sheet (DSFS) is a document containing information about raw, processed and meta data collected and stored during a study. The aim of the DSFS is to univocally provide information about the storage of all data described in a study. The DSFS also should contain a clear reference to whom should be contacted if information is wanted about the data. Furthermore, the DSF also serves as a checklist for researchers with regard to the data maintenance. A data storage fact sheet is specifically connected to one study and is written after the study is finished.

For problems while writing data storage fact sheets, or additional questions please contact the Research Support Office

Who

Data storage fact sheets are a useful tool and can therefore be used by all researchers at the faculty. However, for the following researchers more binding rules apply:

  • All doctoral students who submit their doctoral dissertation after January 1st, 2015.
  • All professorial staff members for who making data storage fact sheets is part of their personalized objectives.

How

Instructions to upload a data storage fact sheet to the UGent Biblio archive can be found here. For each published study a data storage fact sheet should be added to the UGent Biblio archive entry (using the "data factsheet"-tag).

In the case of a doctoral thesis one or more data storage fact sheets should be included in an appendix, so that, for all the data sets reported in the dissertation, information is available about the storage of these data. The data storage fact sheets should also be made available through the UGent Biblio archive along with the digital copy of the doctoral dissertation.

Files

To guide you through the process of making a data storage fact sheet some helpful files are available. First, there is a template data storage fact sheet. This is a plain text document best opened using a simple text editor (e.g. wordpad, notepad++). There is also a manual describing each of the DSFS sections separately. Finally, there are also some examples of filled out data storage fact sheets.