LACDR adheres to strict data management rules, with the aim to make our data findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable. For this reason all LACDR PhD candidates are required to prepare a data management plan and to implement data management rules accordingly. All PhD candidates follow a data management course in the first year.

Learning objectives

Participants will be aware of the importance of sound data management; they learn about requirements set and are able to manage their own data according to standard procedures and best practices for responsible data curation common in their field of research.

Furthermore, understanding the need for Good Academic Practice Procedures- being able to shortly summarize the key points in GARP. Understanding the importance of having a consistent and structured way of naming files and folders. Being able to make a folder tree with names, and coding for components of research that can be part of filenames. In addition the participants will be aware of the possibilities and global procedures of the Electronic Notebook.

Course program

The data management course will give you 0.5 EC points (14 hours) in total. You will be invited for this course by the LACDR PhD program office. The course consists of the following parts:

a.       Preliminary assignment

In preparation for the Data Management course you will receive a preliminary assignment two weeks before the start of the course.

b.    Data Management course - part 1 and 2

Introduction in data management presented by Leiden University Librarians and three LACDR data management trainers. 

The following subjects will be discussed:

• Policy issues for LACDR, Faculty of Science, University and funding organizations
• Public Database Search and Use
• Data management and good academic practice issues in science
• Research data life cycle considerations: steps from collecting data to publication
• Electronic lab notebook
• Relevant standards
• Ethics & legal compliance

c.     Writing of Data Management plan

Within 2 months after attending the workshop you are required to write your own data management plan. The template for the data management plan can be downloaded from the bottom of this webpage. Two weeks prior to the Data management course – part 3, you have to send your data management plan to the Leiden University Librarians.

d.       Data management course - part 3

During this meeting you will present your data management plan in 10 minutes to your colleagues, the librarians and the LACDR data management trainer. They will provide you with feedback. You are encouraged to pay special attention to your considerations, your challenges, the implementation and expected obstacles.

Implementation & Dissertation

As a PhD candidate you are required to implement data management as proposed in your data management plan. The implementation will be discussed in the meetings with the PAC i.e. the progress evaluation meeting (two years) and finalization meeting (three years).

At the end of your PhD research you must be prepared to give the PhD Committee and the Dean/ Graduate School access to the data underlying the results in your dissertation.