Data expertise as a career advantage
How clear documentation makes research comprehensible
The importance of documentation and data management in economic research is often underestimated. Yet young economic researchers in particular depend on making their findings comprehensible, transparent and usable in the long term.
This practical tip shows you what to look out for when handling research data and how to set up efficient data management.
- Structuring the data – Define a clear structure for your data collection and storage right from the start. Create a consistent folder system and use unique file names that contain information about content, date and version.
- Standardised documentation – Document your data records in a detailed and standardised manner. This should include all relevant information, such as the method, sample size, survey period and survey instruments. This documentation facilitates the reproducibility of your results.
- Metadata management – Maintain metadata documentation that includes descriptions of content as well as information on collection techniques, data quality, software and version numbers. Good metadata enables a quick assessment of the data quality and its usability for later studies.
- Versioning and archiving – Use version control systems to document changes in a traceable manner. This applies in particular to the processing of data records, statistical analyses or when writing scientific articles. Well-organised archiving also protects against data loss.
- Data access and data protection Ensure that personal data is stored and managed in accordance with the applicable data protection guidelines. Define clear access rights to ensure that confidential information remains protected.
- Sustainable data provision Consider using professional data repositories that archive your research data in the long term and make it available for citation. Such platforms increase the visibility and citability of your research.
Professional documentation and efficient data management are fundamental to making research results usable and comprehensible in the long term. Young economic researchers benefit considerably from internalising these practices at an early stage and implementing them in their daily work.
Concrete tips for your research practice:
- GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences: On the GESIS website you will find proven templates and detailed guidelines for the creation of codebooks and metadata, especially for social and economic science datasets.
- KonsortSWD (Council for Social and Economic Data): The website offers comprehensive guidelines, checklists and best practice examples for data management and documentation in the economic and social sciences. You can also use the help desk for your research. (konsortswd.de)
- ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research): ICPSR offers comprehensive instructions, tools and resources for documenting research data in high quality and making it accessible in the long term. (icpsr.umich.edu)
- Zenodo and figshare – data repositories: These platforms not only offer data archiving options, but also contain numerous well-documented data sets that can be used as templates. (zenodo.org, figshare.com)
- Research Data Management Organiser (RDMO): A web-based tool that guides you through the planning and documentation of research data in a structured way. (rdmorganiser.github.io)
- Open Economics Guide: Here you will find a broad overview of the topic of open data in economic research.
*The practical guide was written on 18 March 2025.
This text was translated on 24 March 2025 using DeeplPro.