CLICCS Data Management

Preamble

Good scientific practice (GSP)

and DFG

guidelines for safeguarding GSP require that

generated research data be retained for at least 10 years after the end of the project, and that

they are published and reported as openly as possible

. CLICCS data should be retained for this

purpose until at least the end of 2035. This ensures the traceability and connectivity of CLICCS

research as well as the reusability of CLICCS data according to the GSP.

CLICCS uses research data in a wide variety of forms, such as measurement data, images, video

and audio recordings, observation and simulation data, data from surveys, data from

commercial enterprises, and software source code. In principle, CLICCS research data should be

prepared according to the FAIR standard

(Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-usable) and

the descriptive metadata should be provided with a CLICCS disclaimer and meaningful

keywords. The long-term storage and verification of the data should take place in an

established subject-specific repository or in the UHH

repository, which are basically designed

for an arbitrarily long retention period. This enables the application of the FAIR principles over

several, possibly successive projects or associated longer durations. The repositories used must

provide an interface to an overarching reporting system in order to gain a CLICCS-wide

overview of the stored data. This applies both to data that is freely accessible (open data) and

in cases where access is restricted to an organizational unit or to a project (closed user group).

Guidelines

The following guidelines are binding for all CLICCS members. They define the handling of all

data used in CLICCS research - hereinafter referred to as CLICCS data for short.

• Responsibility and tasks

The responsibility for research data management lies with the project chairs. They take

all measures to ensure the rules of the GSP throughout the entire life cycle of CLICCS

data - planning, acquisition, processing, documentation, publication and long-term

storage. They can define additional rules in their area.

Project chairs appoint respective data officers who perform the associated tasks and, if

necessary, involve the scientists involved in the project.

https://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/principles_dfg_funding/good_scientific_practice/index.html

https://www.dfg.de/download/pdf/foerderung/grundlagen_dfg_foerderung/forschungsdaten/forschungsdate

n_checkliste_en.pdf

Third-party data that is already verifiably stored does not have to be stored again.

https://www.forschungsdaten.org/index.php/FAIR_data_principles

https://www.fdr.uni-hamburg.de/communities/cliccs?page=1&size=20

In cooperation with central institutions

, CLICCS offers support, advice, training and

tools on the topic of research data management.

• Data protection, backup

Backups of CLICCS data must be made regularly to prevent data loss. Changes to data

(e.g. corrections) are only made to copies of the original data.

• Documentation, data description

CLICCS data are documented according to the GSP. This documentation is based on the

subject-specific metadata standards and contains, among other things, information on

the origin or the context of origin as well as on the tools used, physical units, date,

time, measuring instruments, etc.

• Publication and Open Data

CLICCS data are published as openly as possible and in accordance with the FAIR

standard. The decision whether and in what capacity to publish the data, the place of

publication and the compliance with the legal framework (e.g. data protection, ethics,

license (CC) is recommended. Data should be published in a recognized repository, with

a persistent identifier (e.g. DOI), metadata, keywords and a CLICCS disclaimer.

• Documentation of data storage

Each project is required to prepare a data management plan (in accordance with DFG

guidelines) that outlines the entire lifecycle of CLICCS data - planning, acquisition,

processing, documentation, publication, and long-term retention. This plan will be

updated every six months until the end of the project. The respective data

management plan is stored in an RDMO instance (Research Data Management

Organizer) of DKRZ or UHH. Both implement a template adapted for CLICCS. The data

management plans are shared internally within CLICCS.

In addition to the proof of scientific publications, CLICCS also uses the Research

Information System (FIS) of the UHH for the proof of published data.

Within the framework of quality assurance, it is checked whether the corresponding

data management plans are available and updated. The FIS is used to produce a regular

report showing which repositories store data and to which CLICCS projects are the data

related. The report will also oversee whether data storage is in accordance with the

FAIR principles, as well as whether these data are publicly published or sustainably

secured within the organization or project.

German Climate Computing Center (www.dkrz.de)

ICDC Integrated Climate Data Center (https://www.cen.uni-hamburg.de/en/icdc.html ) and

ZFDM – Center for Sustainable Research Data Management (www.fdm.uni-hamburg.de )

• CLICCS Disclaimer, Keywords

The following disclaimer is mandatory for all CLICCS publications, including data

publications:

"Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)

under Germany's Excellence Strategy - EXC 2037 'CLICCS - Climate, Climatic Change, and

Society' - Project Number: 390683824".

If possible, members of the UHH should add: "contribution to the Center for Earth

System Research and Sustainability (CEN) of Universität Hamburg".

A mandatory keyword list will be provided centrally.

April, 2023