3 What is research data?

One definition of research data would refer primarily to the materials that are needed to produce the results of a particular study. This is based strongly to Data management guide of the Helsinki University Library. However, this can be expanded a bit, and we can include also:

• Notebooks
• Measurements
• Survey responses
• Recordings (audio or video)
• Physical samples
• Collection of examples or samples from electronic resources
• Different types of annotations

When we discuss research data we primarily tend to refer to digital objects. Or digital objects that tell something about physical items that are not in our hands.