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Research Data Management Overview

Includes best practices, resources, and tools for managing and sharing research data.

Data Repositories

An easy and effective way to share your research materials is by publishing them in a repository. Repositories serve as storage, preservation, and curation platforms where you can upload data, make it accessible and discoverable, and meet grant requirements while promoting the open exchange of scholarly knowledge.

The most suitable repository for your data depends on factors such as your research field, data sensitivity, and the repository’s features. Additionally, if your research is funded, your funder may specify where the data should be deposited. There are three main types of data repositories and you will find more information and examples of each below as well as resources for finding appropriate data repositories.

  • Institutional data repository: a digital platform managed by a university, research institute, or organization to store, preserve, and share research data produced by its members
  • Generalist data repository: a platform designed to store and share research data from any discipline, rather than focusing on a specific subject area
  • Disciplinary data repository: a specialized platform designed to store, share, and preserve research data within a specific academic or scientific discipline

Purdue University Research Repository

Purdue University Research Repository (PURR) is Purdue's institutional data repository.  PURR, established in 2011, works as a system and a service, with a collaborative working space for campus researchers to publish, share, and archive their research data. As an institutional repository, PURR is available for all Purdue students and staff but can also be used for projects where you may be collaborating with external partners or researchers. In 2024, PURR received Core Trust Seal certification, a reflection of exhibiting the core characteristics of trustworthy data repositories. Here are some characteristics of PURR to help you find out if it is the right fit for your data:

  • Offers 100GB storage for a basic project or 1TB for a supported project with a verifiable grant or account number
  • Publish up to 1GB of data for a basic project, or 10GB for a supported project
  • Data curation support from a Purdue Libraries' data curation specialist
  • Provides DOI and indexing for wide data discoverability
  • Metrics dashboard for tracking total views, downloads and citations 
  • Creative commons licensing
  • Long-term preservation access and support
  • Meets all criteria for the Desirable Characteristics of a Repository established by the National Institute for Health (NIH)

screen capture of PURR publication page for a project called 220 Band ARVIS Hyperspectral Image Data

PURR's most re-used dataset has been cited over 200 times since it was published in 2015, including more than 50 articles in 25 journals

Generalist Repositories

A generalist data repository is a platform that accepts data from any discipline, rather than focusing on a specific research field. These repositories are useful when:

  • Your data doesn’t fit into a disciplinary repository.
  • You want broad visibility and accessibility.
  • You need compliance with FAIR principles and funder requirements.
  • You need a free or low-cost option for publishing data

Some of the most common generalist repositories are:

  • Open Science Framework (OSF): supports data, code, project management and integration with other RDM tools such as GitHub
    • Purdue has an institutional membership with OSF
  • Zenodo: operated by CERN and OpenAIRE and supports all disciplines
  • Figshare: supports datasets, figures, posters, and more; provides DOIs and usage metrics
  • Dryad: focused on research data underlying publications; curated and integrated with journals

Open science framework logo: blue and black circles in a circle, OSF letters to the right              Figshare logo: colorful dots making a circle, figshare written to the right   zenodo written in black letters (logo)

Disciplinary Repositories

A disciplinary data repository is a specialized platform designed to store, manage, and share research data within a specific academic or scientific discipline. It ensures that data adheres to the standards, formats, and practices commonly accepted in that field. Using a disciplinary repository can ensure proper metadata, file formats, and vocabularies are used and can also enable discoverability through tailored indexing and categorization. , Below this box you will find resources for repository registries where you can search for and discover many repository options to support your datasets. Here are just a few examples of disciplinary repositories:

Biological Sciences Data Repositories and resources

Social Sciences Data Repositories

Physical Sciences Data Repositories

Humanities Data Repositories

Find the Best Repository for Your Data