Introducing CORD – storage for your research data

Research projects create a lot of data, and this data is a very valuable output in itself. In fact datasets are eligible for REF submission, just as articles are – they are recognised as high value, and sharing your data has also been shown to increase your citation rates. But how do you look after all your research data long-term? There are all sorts of issues around storage space, organisation and findability, backups, ensuring the right people have access… but Cranfield University is now launching a dedicated research data repository to help solve many of these problems.

CORD (Cranfield Online Research Data) is our new repository, currently in pilot and being officially launched on 23 May. It is an external system set up to Cranfield’s requirements, and will hold any type of research data, whether you have spreadsheets, videos, images, text, code, or many other formats. All researchers will have access and are encouraged to deposit their research data to it at the end of each project; this is mandatory where any funding comes from a body that requires data preservation and sharing (eg RCUK). Ideally, data is deposited for public access (just as articles are open access wherever possible), but there are a variety of access restrictions available for datasets needing embargo or with commercial or other sensitivities.

For more information (and light refreshments), please join us to celebrate the launch of this exciting new system at:

• Shrivenham Campus 23 May, 12:15 in the Barrington Library. Or you can visit our CORD stand on the same day in Slim Atrium (10:30-11:30) or Barrington Library (12:00-14:00).
• Cranfield Campus 24 May, 13:15 in Kings Norton Library (KNL). Or you can visit our stand on the same day in the Library from 10:00-15:00.