Much research data about people – even sensitive data – can be shared ethically and legally if researchers employ strategies of informed consent, anonymisation and controlling access to data.  However, researchers obtaining data from people are expected to maintain high ethical standards and comply with relevant legislation and duties.

This guidance is generally provided by professional bodies, host institutions and funding organaisations. The laws that govern the use of data, in addition to the duties of confidentiality, include the following Acts:

• Data Protection Act (1998);
• Freedom of Information Act (2000);
• Human Rights Act (Article 8) (1998);
• Mental Capacity Act (2005); and
• Statistics and Registration Services Act (2007).

(more…)

A hard drive sitting on your bookshelf might be useful for storing your data, but it is not reliable or secure enough for long-term preservation (memory or USB sticks are even worst). For safer options to preserve data, see our guide on how to store & archive your research data (whether digital or not).

If you really need to use an external hard drive, here are a few emergency tips for taking care of your drive and make sure that you can still read the data in the coming years.

At the minimum you should: (more…)

UCL Data Safe Haven should be used to store personal and sensitive data. Information and guidance is available.

Ethical and legal issues should always be considered when storing and preserving your research data.

(more…)

The UCL Research Data Policy sets out UCL’s expectations around the management and sharing of data created by UCL researchers. All UCL researchers, supervisors and Principal Investigators should read the Policy and share it with colleagues and students where relevant.

(more…)