Data management services and tools at JYU

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Need help managing your data? Are you looking for a suitable storage solution or publishing method for your data? At the University of Jyväskylä, a multidisciplinary team of experts helps with data management issues. This page contains compiled links to data management services at JYU.

Data management plans and DMP Support

JYU has its own organisational guidelines for preparing a data management plan (DMP). We provide advice and assistance to researchers and research teams throughout the year in developing and implementing a DMP. DMP workshops are organised for the Academy of Finland's grantees biannually in spring and autumn.

Data management ethics and legal support services

JYU provides guidance and advice on the design and implementation of timely data protection measures. The University's Legal Services will help with questions related to the author's rights and access to the data. JYU offers model contracts for transferring rights and agreeing on the rights of the parties. 

Data collection tools

  • JYU's Zoom (jyufi.zoom.us) is the recommended remote interviewing tool, as it is suitable for recording data containing both regular personal data and special categories of personal data.
  • MS Teams is suitable for recording non-sensitive interviews. Not suitable for collecting special groups of personal data.
  • JYU Webropol is suitable for collecting non-sensitive surveys. Not suitable for special groups of personal data.
  • JYU REDCap is suited for sensitive survey data and other electronic data, both non-sensitive and sensitive. 
  • JYU's Office O365 services are suitable for storing and transferring non-sensitive data. NB: not suited for special categories of personal data. Always transfer any sensitive data to Nextcloud, CollabRoom, S:/U: network drive, or CSC services as soon after data collection as you can.  

For detailed instructions to collecting qualitative data using JYU tools, see Collect, create, process — The JYU Guide to research data management.

Tools for data storage and sharing during the study

The primary storage location in JYU for all non-sensitive data is the university's cloud storage service Nextcloud. It is available to both staff and non-staff researchers. Nextcloud is also well suited for sharing data during research. However, it is not a collaborative platform such as Google Drive; the data are edited with the appropriate software on the user's terminal.

For small sensitive data (maximum single file size 50 MB/file), the University offers CollabRoom cloud service, which is also suitable for sharing data with partners. For larger sensitive data, options are:

 - Project folders created on the S: drive and a personal U: drive (security recommends encrypting sensitive files stored
    on the S: and U: drives)

- JYU O365: OneDrive for non-sensitive data

 - CSC's national Sensitive Data services: SD Connect for storage and sharing, SD Desktop for processing and analysing. Note the current restrictions for the SD services: SD Desktop has been audited against Findata (08/2022), and limited analysis for Findata permitted social and health data is possible using it. See the CSC instructions for applying for and using the audited SD desktop for social and health data. During 2023, it is only possible to process data in SD Desktop with open source software (e.g. LibreOffice, Python, R + R; see full updated listing). 

Metadata and data documentation

In JYU, the basic metadata of the new data is compiled using the data section of Converis. The researcher prepares more detailed variable-level documentation in accordance with the good practices of his / her field and maintains it in connection with the data.

The researcher can also request that the metadata of the unfinished material be opened on the Converis portal, in which case he will be credited as the author of the material in his Converis CV before the metadata is published. When a researcher requests the publication of completed data, it is published in the JYX archive with a permanent identifier (DOI). In this case, the metadata is also searchable on the national Etsin- ja Tiedejatutkimus.fi data portals.

Data and metadata publishing services

Metadata is published in JYX at the researcher's request through the Data section of Converis as soon as the dataset is ready. In JYX, it is also possible to provide contact information for non-publicly available data for contact.

The dataset itself may be published on JYX whenever it is anonymous, and there are no privacy or other ethical or legal barriers to its disclosure. For very large (terabyte) datasets, established disciplinary data archives such as Dryad or CSC's IDA are recommended. With IDA, it is possible to use metadata recorded in a publication in Conver. In this case, contact the Open Information Center. The Open Information Center will advise and guide you in finalising the dataset for publication.

Note: JYU does not yet have a process in place to select nationally valuable data for the Fairdata-PAS long-term storage service. We will announce the implementation of the process during 2022.

Coming in 2023

The university's data management support service package is constantly being developed. Several functionalities and tools are under development to support the work of researchers. These include:

  • Electronic management and signing of research consents
  • A tool for planning and implementing data management
  • Automated privacy notices and bulletins
  • Publish IDA-stored data from Converis using Converis metadata
  • Instructional videos for using essential tools such as Converis and Nextcloud