The publication of metadata refers to the description of the basic information concerning the data: its name, data type, storage format and location, authors and licences. This section does not refer to any metadata included in the data (e.g. classification keys, etc.).
We recommend storing your metadata free of charge in the Qvain service, which is part of the Fairdata service package provided by CSC. The metadata will be available in the Etsin research data query service, the Finnish Research Information Hub on Research.fi and, if necessary, they can be combined with the data to be archived. Publicly described and possibly opened data is a merit for its author, as it can be used as a reference, and the data also receives a permanent identifier that e.g. publications can use to refer to the data.
At Jamk, the majority of data is stored digitally, which means that its storage activities focus primarily on data archives (Ida, Data Archive) or document management. Please note that the H and M drives are not designed for archiving. More information about physical storage. If you have other data that you would like to archive, please contact (att@jamk.fi).
Destroy your data systematically and securely. Normal deleting of files is sufficient for computers owned by Jamk. Jamk is not responsible for the files stored on private computers or in private cloud storage systems. If you have disposable data on other devices than those provided by Jamk, you need to use dedicated programs to delete your files so that they cannot be restored (e.g. Eraser). Please note that the users themselves are responsible when using these third-party programmes and they cannot be installed to computers owned by Jamk. Certain data formats, such as memory sticks, are destroyed by crushing and the data on printed paper must be shredded.
Master students need to store the data used in their master’s theses for two years after graduation. After the graduation, however, services provided by Jamk are not anymore available. Research data of the master’s thesis which does not contain personal or otherwise sensitive data can be stored to private computers and backed up by using cloud storage services with private account. If your data does contain personal or otherwise sensitive data, follow these instructions:
Encryption of the files is essential due to the policy of cloud storage services. Regular user is not able to decide where the files are stored. When using for instance Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive with private account, it is likely that the data is transferred to servers located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), and if the data contains personal data, this transfer would need separate basis as well as informed consent of the research subjects (Data Protection Ombudsman). Encryption is a necessary and sufficient measure, so that the data containing sensitive information remains concealed even if the data itself would move to servers outside EEA.
Archive the data in a national or international data archive – for the authors’ personal use, or on a limited or open basis.
In accordance with the President´s decision, national and international repositories are the primary options for archiving research data. There are several possible alternatives:
PLEASE NOTE! Storing your data in IDA, for example, will not make it automatically openly available. Instead, you will need to publish it separately. The data can be published in a fully open or limited capacity.
Informing your research subjects and processing personal data in the archival of your data: When the data is to be transferred to a national data repository for archival, the archive in question acts as the processor of the personal data. You must always inform your research subjects of this in your privacy statement or privacy notice. The reference is added to the section of the privacy statement/notification that describes the recipients of the data. When qualitative data is collected for research purposes, the subjects are informed of the deletion of personal data in the information provided for them, and the permission for its archival must be requested separately, for example in connection with the participation consent form.
The IDA research data storage service is the recommended basic solution for storing data. It is a free tool for storing, organising and sharing data among a defined user group, as well as for storing data in an unaltered state after the end of the research. Other files, such as classification data or different versions of the data, can also be stored in IDA. The service is suitable for personal data, but not for sensitive data. You can decide whether the data is only available to the research group or if you want to provide it openly or to a limited extent. PLEASE NOTE! IDA’s terms of use require that the data to be stored be described in the Qvain service in all situations, so that it can be added to various query services (Research.fi, Etsin). You can also grant access to IDA to parties who do not belong to a Finnish higher education institution as well as to international partners. IDA is part of the free Fairdata service package (provided by the Ministry of Education and Culture and produced by CSC).
The Data Archive archives and transmits electronic research data for research, teaching and study purposes, in accordance with the FAIR principles. Start by proposing the archival of your data in the Data Archive. The Data Archive archives both quantitative and qualitative research data and makes the data suitable for re-use, handles describing the data and storing it in a suitable file format, and helps you anonymise it. The data is stored in a secure manner and in a condition that will enable its re-use for decades. The Data Archive has been awarded the international CoreTrustSeal (CTS) certificate for the reliable storage and re-use of research data. In addition to IDA, the Data Archive is a good option for sharing your data openly. Remember to read the archiving organisation’s instructions.
Zenodo is a free, international and universal open data storage and sharing service for researchers, EU projects and institutions who wish to share their research results. The service is maintained by CERN and funded by the EU. Zenodo can also be used to store different types of data, including publications, posters, presentations, research data, images, videos, audio files, software and lectures. The data is issued a permanent identifier (DOI). We recommend logging in to the service with your ORCID ID.
When it comes to scientific data, we recommend looking at international sector-specific archives. Zenodo is also a good general-purpose archive for international purposes.
If no other options are available, you can store your data in Jamk’s Document Management System (Tweb), under your project’s documentation. Even if you decide against publishing your data or using any national storage services, you should still publish your metadata (Qvain, Reportronic). You can set the visibility of your data in Tweb. For instructions on managing your project’s documents, see the Elmo intranet page (login required). Remember to include your data’s metadata. Tweb allows for the long-term and secure storage of data at JAMK. If you want to store your data in the Document Management System, you must first contact the person responsible for document management (ELMO) or submit a Helpdesk report.
Send an email to att(a)jamk.fi, and we will help you find the best solutions for storing, sharing, archiving, and describing your data. We can also help you get started with the tools described above.