Use and Impact of UK Research Data Centres
UK data centres are an important part of efforts to gain maximum value from research data. However, if they are to operate effectively, the services that they provide must be based upon an understanding of researchers' practices and needs. Furthermore, in order to build a case for ongoing fundi...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Edinburgh
2011-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Digital Curation |
| Online Access: | http://129.215.67.233:80/ijdc/article/view/169 |
| _version_ | 1797401981309943808 |
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| author | Ellen Collins |
| author_facet | Ellen Collins |
| author_sort | Ellen Collins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | UK data centres are an important part of efforts to gain maximum value from research data. However, if they are to operate effectively, the services that they provide must be based upon an understanding of researchers' practices and needs. Furthermore, in order to build a case for ongoing funding, data centres must be able to demonstrate their value to researchers work and, increasingly, their contribution to wider political "impact" agendas. This paper presents the findings of a survey of users of five UK data centres. It suggests that research data centres are highly valued by their users. Benefits appear to be particularly strong around improving research efficiency, especially access to data. Data centres are less important in terms of stimulating novel research questions. Despite a few interesting cases of observable impact, in the main it remains difficult to understand the wider reach of research which draws upon data centre resources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:18:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ba36adcf8b749b7b70a7c8c4089f831 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-8256 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:18:48Z |
| publishDate | 2011-03-01 |
| publisher | University of Edinburgh |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Digital Curation |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ba36adcf8b749b7b70a7c8c4089f8312023-12-06T20:02:54ZengUniversity of EdinburghInternational Journal of Digital Curation1746-82562011-03-0161Use and Impact of UK Research Data CentresEllen CollinsUK data centres are an important part of efforts to gain maximum value from research data. However, if they are to operate effectively, the services that they provide must be based upon an understanding of researchers' practices and needs. Furthermore, in order to build a case for ongoing funding, data centres must be able to demonstrate their value to researchers work and, increasingly, their contribution to wider political "impact" agendas. This paper presents the findings of a survey of users of five UK data centres. It suggests that research data centres are highly valued by their users. Benefits appear to be particularly strong around improving research efficiency, especially access to data. Data centres are less important in terms of stimulating novel research questions. Despite a few interesting cases of observable impact, in the main it remains difficult to understand the wider reach of research which draws upon data centre resources.http://129.215.67.233:80/ijdc/article/view/169 |
| spellingShingle | Ellen Collins Use and Impact of UK Research Data Centres International Journal of Digital Curation |
| title | Use and Impact of UK Research Data Centres |
| title_full | Use and Impact of UK Research Data Centres |
| title_fullStr | Use and Impact of UK Research Data Centres |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use and Impact of UK Research Data Centres |
| title_short | Use and Impact of UK Research Data Centres |
| title_sort | use and impact of uk research data centres |
| url | http://129.215.67.233:80/ijdc/article/view/169 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ellencollins useandimpactofukresearchdatacentres |