How to Assess the Quality of Research Data

By Frédéric de Lamotte and Véronique Stoll.

Research data is only valuable if it remains understandable, traceable, and reusable—whether by its own authors six months from now or by teams on the other side of the world ten years from now.

To ensure that data generated during research projects remain understandable and reusable years after their creation, the Research Data College has published two complementary practical guides: the first establishes a comprehensive framework for a quality approach (roles, lifecycle, and a self-assessment checklist); the second delves deeper into one of the most fundamental elements of this approach—metadata documentation—by proposing a “low-effort” method applicable to every stage of a project.

This presentation introduces the two guides as a coherent whole, with concrete examples and immediately actionable takeaways for both researchers and scientific documentation support staff.

Frédéric de Lamotte is a data scientist and strategic data lead in INRAE’s Department of Biology and Plant Breeding. Véronique Stoll is the national director of research data and director of Research Data Gouv

Open access—free and no registration required.

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