Translational Researchers’ Perceptions of Data Management Practices and Data Curation Needs: Findings from a Focus Group in an Academic Health Sciences Library

TitleTranslational Researchers’ Perceptions of Data Management Practices and Data Curation Needs: Findings from a Focus Group in an Academic Health Sciences Library
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsBardyn, T., Resnick T., & Camina S.
JournalJournal of Web Librarianship
Volume6
Issue4
Pagination274 - 287
Date Published2012///
Keywordssg_data_archiving, sg_data_privacy
Abstract

How translational researchers use data is becoming an important support function for librariesto understand. Libraries’ roles in this increasingly complex area of Web librarianship are often unclearly defined. The authors conducted two focus groups with physicians and researchers at an academic medical center, the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, to gain a better understanding of the current state of data use and data management practices among translational researchers. Data management practices varied widely among departments, disciplines, and research centers, but common areas of concern important to Web librarianship included privacy, data access, and data stewardship. The results provided qualitative information about creating, managing, maintaining, and validating data in clinical and research environments, and challenges working with clinical research data in universities. These results inform current practices around data access, data sharing, and privacy of research participant data. Libraries can build on existing Web skills by instructing users how to find open source and commercial data sets, partnering to establish and implement improved data collection and archiving practices, and teaching principles of ethical data use.

URLhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19322909.2012.730375

Gap Area Study Type:

Purpose: 
Investigated the digital curation needs of translational researchers
Method: 
Conducted focus groups with eight faculty members in departments within the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA