Welcome to the UCSB Research Data Services!
Research Data Services (RDS) assists the campus research community effectively, ethically, and securely manage research data. We offer guidance at all stages of the research data lifecycle, from initial planning to final preservation. We help researchers comply with funding and publishing mandates, set up more collaborative and reproducible workflows, provide advice on best practices for data management, and enhance the shareability and reusability of research data.
Our areas of support include instruction and training, consultations and extended engagements with research labs, and other services, including curation of archived datasets. RDS also facilitates connections between researchers and available research infrastructures supported by the campus.
Our Services
Data Management Planning
DMPTool (dmptool.org): An online resource designed to assist researchers in creating and updating data sharing and management plans throughout their project lifecycle for subsequent easy reporting. It provides templates and guidance tailored to the requirements of funding agencies and institutions and facilitates collaboration among team members. Users can request that our team review their plans directly from the tool prior to submission.
Data Sharing and Archiving
Dryad (datadryad.org): A self-deposit repository that serves all research domains and is endorsed by funders and academic publishers. Dryad publishes data exclusively under a CC0 Public Domain license; however, users have the option to upload supplementary deliverables and code under other license terms using the Zenodo integration [link]. Dryad offers up to 300 GB of storage per deposit, assigns DOIs [link], is part of many publishers’ data publication workflow [link integrated journals], makes your data more easily searchable and findable, and provides impact metrics.
Persistent Identification
Perma.cc (perma.cc): Developed by Harvard Law School, this service allows users to preserve web content they cite by generating a permanent link. It captures a snapshot of openly accessible content from a URL, creating a stable permalink for reference and ensuring perpetual access for readers. Permalinks redirect to Perma.cc, where users find links to the original source and its archived version. RDS manages an institutional account that allows affiliates to create unlimited permalinks. Contact us to request your Perma.cc account.
EZID (ezid.cdlib.org): A backend service provided by the California Digital Library (CDL) that allows campus units responsible for managing digital assets, including datasets, to mint and maintain persistent identifiers such as DOIs and ARKs. RDS manages the campus account (primary shoulder) and assists approved campus units and their designated managers in setting up their workflow.