The Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) launched a report in February titled “The preservation and reuse of scientific data in Spain. Report of the good practices working group”. The document highlights relevant aspects that play a part in the management of research data in scientific repositories: key definitions, data typology, and players involved in data management. Moreover, examples of good management practices are described, and a general panorama of the situation in Spain is presented. 

The report comes from a working group that FECYT started in 2012. It brings together the participation of national experts from the Carlos III (UC3M) University, the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the University of Alicante (UA), the Centre for Scientific and Academic Services of Catalonia (CESCA), the Juan March Institute, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV). This working group is part of the RECOLECTA project managed by FECYT in collaboration with the Rebiun University Libraries Network. The project works in the creation of a robust network of scientific and interoperable repositories as the key infrastructure for the provision of Open Science.

This report aims to lay the foundations for the management of research data. Research data are gaining recognition as an independent source of knowledge, separated from scientific publications. According to the University of Melbourne, Australia, research data are the facts, observations or experiences upon which arguments, theories and trails are based. In addition, within the Open Access framework, the Open Data movement defines open data as those that can be used, reused and redistributed without any restrictions other than the non-attribution requirement and shared equally.

The report describes the different types of research data (numerical, descriptive, visual), storage formats, what the different management stages should be, what type of infrastructure is necessary and the legal framework relating to the preservation and dissemination of data.

The report aims to ensure that future initiatives (to be adopted within the framework of the new Science Law) for the management of research data, has a common reference framework regarding management, technological infrastructure, life cycles, formats, and preservation issues. Also, to offer examples of good practices that could help to clarify the complexity of managing this type of information and knowledge.

The report can be downloaded at http://recolecta.fecyt.es and www.fecyt.es.