Data Storage and Sharing: A Needs Assessment Survey of Social Science Researchers and Information Professionals for Developing a Data Management Curriculum

This study seeks to determine the needs of the social science research and information professional communities regarding data management training and education. The needs assessment surveys conducted in this study work towards answering three main questions: How do researchers and the information professionals who serve them understand the term "data management"? What are some of the gaps in data management knowledge of the social science and information professional communities that need to be addressed? What preferences do researchers and information professionals have in regards to data management training and education dissemination methods? An online needs assessment survey was e-mailed to 1,974 participants with a total response rate of 10.5%. The results of this study emphasize a broad understanding of the term "data management" with a focus on storage and sharing, a need for education on long-term data storage best practices and data management tools, as well as a preference for short, online video courses with an open discussion forum.Master of Science in Library Scienc