Active Curation of Large Longitudinal Surveys: A Case Study

Abstract

In this paper we take an in-depth look at the curation of a large longitudinal survey and activities and procedures involved in moving the data from its generation to the state that is needed to conduct scientific analysis. Using a case study approach, we describe how large surveys generate a range of data assets that require many decisions well before the data is considered for analysis and publication. We use the notion of active curation to describe activities and decisions about the data objects that are “live,” i.e., when they are still being collected and processed for the later stages of the data lifecycle. Our efforts illustrate a gap in the existing discussions on curation. On one hand, there is an acknowledged need for active or upstream curation as an engagement of curators close to the point of data creation. On the other hand, the recommendations on how to do that are scattered across multiple domain-oriented data efforts. In describing the complexities of active curation of survey data and providing general recommendations we aim to draw attention to the practices of active curation, stimulate the development of interoperable tools, standards, and techniques needed at the initial stages of research projects, and encourage collaborations between libraries and other academic units.

From nostalgia to knowledge: Considering the personal dimensions of data lifecycles

“…The research‐data lifecycle model depicted in Figure 2 is most appropriate for long tail data, for which sharing is the responsibility of individual researchers rather than institutions, facilities, or large collaborations, and where these individuals have a tacit sense of the utility of the data for their broader communities. The model does not fully tackle the dubious tendency of data lifecycle models to follow an idealized linear or cyclical progression through stages, nor does it deeply incorporate the complex “active curation” processes that can take place throughout a project (Kouper et al, 2021). However, by placing the researcher and the researcher's career in the center of the lifecycle, the paper aims to further bring human information behavior scholarship into discussions about data curation and lifecycle modeling.…”

Top trends in academic libraries: A review of the trends and issues

“…82 Data curation remains an overarching role for the library. 83 The term active curation, involvement of the curator from collection and development of the data set to its final analysis and storage, 84 will continue to expand as librarians become more embedded in the data life cycle. Additionally, institutions of higher education continue to show a growing interest in data science education.…”

Open Governments, Open Data

“…As such, the database as a tool for storage and retrieval is a small portion of what must be considered. Moreover, managing throughout the lifecycle encompasses not only the data or information itself, but also the related resources, such as people, technology, finances, and so on (Kouper et al 2021). The lifecycle approach is further amplified with explicit attention to privacy and security: "While security and privacy are independent and separate disciplines, they are closely related, and it is essential for agencies to take a coordinated approach to identifying and managing security and privacy risks and complying with applicable requirements" (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 2016, emphasis added).…”