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Why preserve digital data?

Digital data preservation should be a key aspect of all research projects. Some research data are unique and cannot be replaced if destroyed or lost, yet only by referring to verifiable data can your research be judged as sound.

What's more, it is recognised good practice for institutions and researchers to manage and retain their research data, and sometimes they are legally required to do so for many years after project funding has ceased. So, putting in place adequate data preservation initiatives should be top of your list when planning any new research project.

Preserving digital data
Not only do scientists, researchers and scholars across the UK personally generate increasingly vast amounts of digital research data, but they also invest more in further digital media by acquiring digital content and information from third parties.

A data preservation programme suited to the individual institution must be used to safeguard this huge investment of time and resources. Without good practices in place, the scientific record and documentary heritage created in digital form will remain at risk from digital obsolescence and also from the fragilities inherent to digital media.

Whether your role is research support, data scientist, data manager, informatician, data librarian or research assistant, the DCC can help you to build your research team’s capacity and capability for digital curation and data preservation.

The DCC is funded by

Joint Information Systems Committee