RDM Needs assessment

The complexity and privacy issues inherent in social science research data makes research data management (RDM) an essential skill for future researchers. Limited data management training has been developed to specifically address the needs of graduate students in the social sciences. To address this gap, this study used a mixed methods design to investigate the RDM awareness, preparation, confidence, and challenges of social science graduate students. A survey measuring RDM preparedness and training needs was completed by 98 graduate students in a college of education at a research university in the southern United States. Then, interviews exploring data awareness, knowledge of RDM, and challenges related to RDM were conducted with 10 randomly selected graduate students. All participants had low confidence in using RDM, but United States citizens had higher confidence than international graduate students. Most participants were not aware of on-campus RDM services, and were not familiar with data repositories or data sharing. Training needs identified for social science graduate students included support with data documentation and organization when collaborating, using naming procedures to track versions, data analysis using open access software, and data preservation and security. These findings are significant in highlighting the topics to cover in RDM training for social science graduate students. Additionally, population differences exist in RDM confidence and preparation so being aware of the backgrounds of students taking the training will be essential for designing student-centered instruction.

社会科学研究数据本身所固有的复杂性与隐私问题，使得研究数据管理（Research Data Management, RDM）成为未来研究者必备的核心技能。当前针对社会科学研究生的专属数据管理培训资源仍较为匮乏。为填补这一空白，本研究采用混合研究设计，对社会科学研究生的RDM认知水平、准备情况、应用信心及面临的挑战展开调查。美国南部一所研究型大学教育学院的98名研究生参与了一项测量RDM准备度与培训需求的问卷调查。随后，研究团队从所有受访者中随机选取10名研究生开展访谈，进一步探究其数据认知、RDM知识储备及相关实践挑战。所有参与者在RDM应用方面的信心水平均较低，但美国本土学生的信心程度显著高于国际研究生。多数参与者并不了解校内的RDM相关服务，也对数据仓储或数据共享规范不甚熟悉。研究识别出的社会科学研究生培训需求主要包括：协作场景下的数据文档编制与组织管理、基于统一命名规范的版本追踪、使用开源软件开展数据分析，以及数据长期留存与安全防护。本研究结果明确了社会科学研究生RDM培训的核心内容，具有重要的实践指导意义。此外，不同群体在RDM信心水平与准备程度上存在显著差异，因此在设计以学生为中心的培训课程时，充分了解参训学生的背景信息至关重要。