Research records

What are research records?

Research records are documents, correspondence, materials and data generated during research undertaken by University researchers and research students.

Research records include:

  • Research management and administrative records, such as documents or correspondence documenting funding or grants, academic research methodologies and protocols, data management plans, resourcing, development and reporting on ethics applications, results of experiments, progress reporting to internal or external bodies and arrangements for informal collaborative research links with outside organisations.
  • Research data and materials include questionnaires, audio and video recordings, images, specimen samples, biological material, test results, transcripts, laboratory notes, field notes, algorithms and coding scripts, digital collections, databases or datasets.

Who is responsible for managing research records?

All University researchers have a responsibility for managing research records appropriately.

For research students, responsibilities are jointly held by research students and their supervisors.

Responsibilities include:

  • Ensuring research data and records are accurate, complete and authentic
  • Ensuring research data and records are understandable, retrievable and accessible to appropriate parties
  • Storing research data and records safely and securely
  • Complying with ethical and legal obligations when managing research data and records
  • Determining appropriate sharing, publication and licensing arrangements for research data and records.
  • Ensuring arrangements are made to meet any research data management obligations when leaving the University.

For further information, refer to the Research Data Management Policy (MPF1242).

What system should I use to manage research records?

Records & Information administers one system option for researchers, Records Managed SharePoint (RMSP). This is a basic version of SharePoint, which has retention and disposal capabilities. RMSP:

  • Is not available to students nor external research partners
  • Does not support the creation of sub-folders within document libraries
  • Does not support large or complex data sets (SharePoint is best suited to M365 formats and PDF documents).

Due to these limitations, RMSP is best suited to smaller-scale projects undertaken by University staff researchers.

Refer to the Research Data Management System Finder for a comprehensive list of recommended research data storage and management systems.

How long do I have to keep research records for?

Minimum retention requirements for all University records, including research records, are outlined in the University Records Retention and Disposal Authority (RDA).

Refer to the ‘RESEARCH’ function for a range of applicable classes.

If you are unsure of which RDA classes to apply to your research, please submit a ServiceNow request.

What do I do with research records after the research concludes?

Digital records

When a research project finishes, there are two main options for what you can do with your research data. You may use the below options in combination (e.g., for different subsets of your research data) to meet your specific requirements.

  1. Data will be actively used and remain in the current location - Provide access to a nominated data custodian or responsible party and determine what level of access other collaborators or partners require to the research data.
  2. Data will no longer be actively used but will be retained to meet retention and disposal obligations - Researchers are encouraged to deposit digital research data and records into suitable University facilities, e.g. Attica or RMSP.

If researchers do not deposit digital research data and records into a University system such as Attica or RMSP, they will need to manually manage the retention and disposal of the records. Refer to Retention and disposal for guidance.

Hardcopy records

Researchers can either store their hardcopy records locally within the Faculty work units, or arrange transfer to offsite storage. Refer to Storage of temporary records for guidance.

Any hardcopy research records classed as Permanent value in the University Records RDA, should be transferred to Records & Information. Refer to Transfer of permanent records for guidance.

Further information

Refer to Research Data Management for guidance on RDM best practices and links to relevant resources, support and services available at the University. For further advice on all aspects of data management, including project planning, choosing data storage systems, data publication and safeguarding sensitive data, please submit a RDM ServiceNow request.

For guidance on the retention and disposal of research data and records, please submit a Records & Information ServiceNow request.