Equips social scientists with the tools and techniques to conduct quantitative research in the age of big data.

An invaluable step-by-step, pedagogically engaging guide to data management in R for social science researchers, this book shows students how to recode and document data, as well as how to combine data from different sources or import from statistical packages other than R.

A comprehensive guide to everything scientists need to know about data management, this book is essential for researchers who need to learn how to organize, document and take care of their own data. Researchers in all disciplines are faced with the challenge of managing the growing amounts of digital data that are the foundation of their research. Kristin Briney offers practical advice and clearly explains policies and principles, in an accessible and in-depth text that will allow researchers to understand and achieve the goal of better research data management. Data Management for Researchers includes sections on: * The data problem – an introduction to the growing importance and challenges of using digital data in research. Covers both the inherent problems with managing digital information, as well as how the research landscape is changing to give more value to research datasets and code. * The data lifecycle – a framework for data’s place within the research process and how data’s role is changing. Greater emphasis on data sharing and data reuse will not only change the way we conduct research but also how we manage research data. * Planning for data management – covers the many aspects of data management and how to put them together in a data management plan. This section also includes sample data management plans. * Documenting your data – an often overlooked part of the data management process, but one that is critical to good management; data without documentation are frequently unusable. * Organizing your data – explains how to keep your data in order using organizational systems and file naming conventions. This section also covers using a database to organize and analyze content. * Improving data analysis – covers managing information through the analysis process. This section starts by comparing the management of raw and analyzed data and then describes ways to make analysis easier, such as spreadsheet best practices. It also examines practices for research code, including version control systems. * Managing secure and private data – many researchers are dealing with data that require extra security. This section outlines what data falls into this category and some of the policies that apply, before addressing the best practices for keeping data secure. * Short-term storage – deals with the practical matters of storage and backup and covers the many options available. This section also goes through the best practices to insure that data are not lost. * Preserving and archiving your data – digital data can have a long life if properly cared for. This section covers managing data in the long term including choosing good file formats and media, as well as determining who will manage the data after the end of the project. * Sharing/publishing your data – addresses how to make data sharing across research groups easier, as well as how and why to publicly share data. This section covers intellectual property and licenses for datasets, before ending with the altmetrics that measure the impact of publicly shared data. * Reusing data – as more data are shared, it becomes possible to use outside data in your research. This chapter discusses strategies for finding datasets and lays out how to cite data once you have found it. This book is designed for active scientific researchers but it is useful for anyone who wants to get more from their data: academics, educators, professionals or anyone who teaches data management, sharing and preservation. "An excellent practical treatise on the art and practice of data management, this book is essential to any researcher, regardless of subject or discipline." —Robert Buntrock, Chemical Information Bulletin

The 'data revolution' offers many new opportunities for research in the social sciences. Increasingly, social and political interactions can be recorded digitally, leading to vast amounts of new data available for research. This poses new challenges for organizing and processing research data. This comprehensive introduction covers the entire range of data management techniques, from flat files to database management systems. It demonstrates how established techniques and technologies from computer science can be applied in social science projects, drawing on a wide range of different applied examples. This book covers simple tools such as spreadsheets and file-based data storage and processing, as well as more powerful data management software like relational databases. It goes on to address advanced topics such as spatial data, text as data, and network data. This book is one of the first to discuss questions of practical data management specifically for social science projects. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

This comprehensive guide provides a step-by-step approach to data collection, cleaning, formatting, and storage, using Python and R.

Knowledge Discovery in the Social Sciences helps readers find valid, meaningful, and useful information. It is written for researchers and data analysts as well as students who have no prior experience in statistics or computer science. Suitable for a variety of classes—including upper-division courses for undergraduates, introductory courses for graduate students, and courses in data management and advanced statistical methods—the book guides readers in the application of data mining techniques and illustrates the significance of newly discovered knowledge. Readers will learn to: • appreciate the role of data mining in scientific research • develop an understanding of fundamental concepts of data mining and knowledge discovery • use software to carry out data mining tasks • select and assess appropriate models to ensure findings are valid and meaningful • develop basic skills in data preparation, data mining, model selection, and validation • apply concepts with end-of-chapter exercises and review summaries

Effective Research Data Management (RDM) is a key component of research integrity and reproducible research, and its importance is increasingly emphasised by funding bodies, governments, and research institutions around the world. However, many researchers are unfamiliar with RDM best practices, and research support staff are faced with the difficult task of delivering support to researchers across different disciplines and career stages. What strategies can institutions use to solve these problems? Engaging Researchers with Data Management is an invaluable collection of 24 case studies, drawn from institutions across the globe, that demonstrate clearly and practically how to engage the research community with RDM. These case studies together illustrate the variety of innovative strategies research institutions have developed to engage with their researchers about managing research data. Each study is presented concisely and clearly, highlighting the essential ingredients that led to its success and challenges encountered along the way. By interviewing key staff about their experiences and the organisational context, the authors of this book have created an essential resource for organisations looking to increase engagement with their research communities. This handbook is a collaboration by research institutions, for research institutions. It aims not only to inspire and engage, but also to help drive cultural change towards better data management. It has been written for anyone interested in RDM, or simply, good research practice.