Data retention

The most appropriate method of retaining research data at the conclusion of your research will vary by project.  The data type, who holds rights over the data, the source of the data and any relevant agreements, will all affect what you will retain, how long you will retain it and how it is retained.

What to retain

You, as the researcher, have the primary responsibility of determining the data that needs to be retained to justify the outcomes of your research.  This may be a combination of primary materials, raw data, processed, cleansed or analysed data, results, code and other supporting administrative data.  In the Data Guide (2019), the ARC/ NHMRC recommends that you consider the following criteria in making these decisions:

• uniqueness and non-replicability;
• reliability, integrity, and usability;
• relevance to a known research initiative or collection;
• community, cultural or historical value; and
• economic benefit.

Precise decisions around what you will or won't retain can be difficult to make while you are planning and undertaking your research.  Regardless, you may be required to broadly indicate what data you intend to retain as part of your grant application or ethics application and consent form.  It is important to consider these issues early so that during your research you do not delete data you may need later to justify your results.  For some types of research, Electronic Research Notebooks are particularly useful to maintain both the record of what you did in your research and the data itself.  Some faculties already mandate the use of Electronic Research Notebooks.

As your research draws to a close and these decisions are being made, it is important that you record this, ideally in a finalised DMP+.

Retention periods - Minimums

The minimum periods for holding research data are dictated by research practice for justifying the outcomes of your research AND the state government legislation to which the University must adhere.

The University's Retention and Disposal Authority page outlines the requirements for research data based on retention and disposal authorities which are standards issued by Public Records Office Victoria (PROV).  The retention periods for research data are aligned with those set out in the ARC/ NHMRC's Data Guide (2019).

A summary of the requirements for relevant research data or below:

Please Note: Minimum periods can also be imposed by funders, collaborators or ethics committees (e.g. if approved via Victorian Department of Health HREC, minimum period is generally 7 years) but if this period is LESS than those outlined above, the Monash minimum period takes precedence.

Retention period - maximums

The decision to destroy all or some of your research data after the minimum retention period can be affected by:

• other agreements, such as funding, that require you to retain the data and provide ongoing access (open or mediated);
• approvals, such as ethics, that have specified destruction timeframes;
• legislation, such as privacy, that require you to destroy data for which you no longer have a purpose; or
• plans for you to reuse your data for new research projects

Similar to your decision around what to retain, it is expected that you will broadly indicate your intention to destroy beyond the minimum period or retain your data in some form for future reuse (through open or mediated access) as part of your funding and/ or planning process.  It is essential, however, that you to record the decision in a finalised DMP+ at the end of your project.

How to retain

Once you know what you are retaining and the appropriate retention period, you will need to decide in which format the data will be retained.

If you have physical data that needs to be retained, you will need to contact your Faculty/ School to determine a solution.

When data needs to be retained for longer periods (10+ years), it is important to consider how it can be accessed in the future, particularly if it is digital. This is commonly referred to as digital preservation.

1. Digital preservation should be considered when data needs to be retained for a long period of time (10+ years), or permanently, and
2. Should be considered when data utilises custom or bespoke file formats and tools, such as those created as part of research projects.

Below are a number of considerations you may need to think through before deciding how you will retain your data.

Final Notes on Digital Preservation:

1. Depending upon the data and its requirements, it may not always be appropriate to convert data to another format before it is archived. As a result, each case for long-term retention should consider any relevant requirements or encumbrances.
2. Note that software and tools should only be stored along with the data if doing so is permitted by the relevant Terms of Service and/or Licence Agreement.
3. See PROV Specification PROS 19/05 S3 for more advice on Long Term Sustainable formats - https://prov.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/documents/1905s3v1.1.pdf

Preserving data in the long-term can be challenging, but Monash University Information & Records Management is available to provide guidance and assistance.

Where to retain

Finally, you need to decide where you will retain your data.

This will depend on the type of data you need to retain.  It is important that wherever you choose to retain your data, you provide a record of this, ideally in a finalised DMP+.