During your project: Data Collection/Creation

What data will you collect or create?

Give a brief description of new data which you envisage creating, including the file types (e.g. video, audio, Word documents).
The “File Formats Table” produced by the UK Data Archive offers a very useful resource for researchers to select the most appropriate file format type for the long-term use and access of their data.

How much data do you expect to create during the project?

Estimate the volume of data in MB/GB/TB and how this will grow to make sure any additional storage and technical support required can be provided.
For example, 1TB covers:
  • 8300 TIFF (lossless) image files; 20MPixels
  • 3300 hours of FLAC (lossless) audio; 44.1KHz 16-bit stereo
  • 110 Hours of MP4 (HD lossy) video; 1920×1080×60fps @20Mb/s [H.265 video & HE-AACv2 audio]
  • 1’000’000 78-page PDF reports
  • 2’000’000 Word processor documents
  • 1’000’000 Spreadsheet workbooks
  • 330’000 PowerPoint presentations
The average Aberystwyth university workstation hard drive size is: 320GB
During your project: Data storage, security, and back-up

How will the data be stored and backed up during the project?

Describe how the data will be stored and backed-up to ensure the data and metadata are securely stored during the lifetime of the project.
Information Services (IS) can provide up to 1TB of storage on a project-by-project basis (free of charge where the funder allows the inclusion of indirect costs/overheads).This storage will be provided on a centrally held server, mirrored to a separate system (at an alternative location) with periodic backup arrangements in place. This arrangement allows stored data to be protected from component and system failures with the ability to restore from tape for data that was deleted or corrupted.
The digital in-project storage offered by IS will be allocated on a project-by-project basis and access to the relevant directory will be allocated to those identified by the PI of that project. Access to the directory will be password protected and available via a shared drive and devices that support standard webDAV.
Additional storage can be purchased and is an allowable cost within the majority of grant applications (as direct costs); additional storage is charged at the rate of £741.32 per TB, pro rata.
If the funder does not allow indirect costs, all in-project storage required should be costed as a direct cost; at the same rate of £741.32 per TB, pro rata.
Alternatively, if your Department can satisfy IS that equivalent storage facilities are available (in terms of back-up and security), you will not be required to use IS storage. Please contact for more details.
A master copy of the data should always be stored on a redundant and backed-up system (mirrored if possible). Using personal computers, external hard drives, USB drives, etc. for this would be inadvisable, highly risky, and inappropriate.
After your project: Data retention and sharing

Which data should be retained and or shared?

The data to be retained should be any data created during the project. In the case of projects where computer programs are created, everything required to create the data should be preserved, but not necessarily the data itself.
The minimum data to be held and shared is that which underpins a published research output. Other datasets suggested to be selected for post-project storage are those which have an acknowledged long-term value, as they:
  • Are unique and/or unrepeatable, due to study design/data collection circumstance/monetary resource;
  • Represent a landmark scientific discovery;
  • Set new standards or precedents;
  • Contribute to a current collection;
Support other current and/or future projects.
After your project: Data storage and preservation

How will the data be stored and preserved?

What is the long-term preservation plan for the dataset? Will additional resources be needed to prepare data for deposit or meet charges from data repositories?
In the first instance, such research data should be offered for deposit and retention in an appropriate national or international data service or subject-specific repository, as advised by the research funder. A list of such repositories is available from the AU RDM webpages. If no such repository is available, datasets should be held within AU via PURE.
Information Services (IS) can provide up to 500GB of post-project storage free of charge where the funder allows the inclusion of indirect costs/overheads; with additional storage charged at the rate of £222 per TB, pro rata.
If the funder does not allow indirect costs, all post-project storage required should be costed into the project as a direct cost; at the same rate of £222 per TB, pro rata.
In-line with the minimum retention policy of AU’s top research funders, the Aberystwyth University Research Data Management Policy recommends data should be stored for three (3) years after the publication or public release of the output of the research. Other legislative and regulatory requirements such as patent law or the Data Protection Act (1998) may also influence the period of time research data or any other associated records should be held. The AU Information Compliance team () can advise on such periods as appropriate.