Customize Your Path

Select all of the following that apply to you and your research project to tailor the topics and resources displayed. Your selections will persist every time you access the site on the same device, until you change or reset the selections.
Your role:
Project inclusions:
Project sponsor or funding:
(seeking funding from or have already secured funding from)
Project managed by:

Customize Your Experience.

Utilize the "Customize Your Path" feature to refine the information displayed in myRESEARCHpath based on your role, project inclusions, sponsor or funding, and management center.

Stage
Disseminate and Close Out
Topic

Archive data and documents

Need assistance with archiving data or documents?

Archiving is the long-term storage of scholarly research data and documents. Maintaining data integrity, preserving data provenance, allowing data sharing and reuse, and complying with institutional and funder regulations, are just a few reasons why the location and process for archiving data and associated materials should be carefully considered.

For information about data repositories or public access requirements, and storage of equipment or other research materials:

Best Practices for Archiving Data and Documents

Best practices and policies for data and document archival are often driven by the kind of data that have been used or collected in the research. Ideally, archival plans should be decided upon prior to data collection as part of a comprehensive data management plan, and should consider the following:

  • How will files be named and organized?
  • How will restricted or sensitive data be de-identified?
  • How will supplementary files be archived?
  • Are there retention requirements from the sponsor?
  • Are there restrictions to sharing based on the type of data, licensing or agreements, or embargoes?
  • Who owns the data?

Before selecting how data will be archived, researchers should review the best practices and considerations for data sharing and archiving provided by the Duke Office of Scientific Integrity and the Duke Libraries.

Retention of study-related documents should also follow best practices set by the institution. Review the DUHS Institutional Review Board’s policy on the retention of records and the Duke Faculty Handbook policy on research records for more information on what documents need to be archived and retention durations.

Archival options

The tool below presents archival options depending on the data-type and any associated access restrictions based on data classification standards. Answer the following questions about the research to see which archival options best suit the project's specific needs.