Management of Research Data in Image Format: An Exploratory Study on Current Practices

Abstract

Research data management is the basis for making data more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. In this context, little attention is given to research data in image format. This article presents the preliminary results of a study on the habits related to the management of images in research. We collected 107 answers from researchers using a questionnaire. These researchers were PhD students, fellows and university professors from Life and Health Sciences, Exact Sciences and Engineering, Natural and Environmental Sciences and Social Sciences and Humanities. This study shows that 83.2% of researcher use images as research data, however, its use is generally not accompanied by a guidance document such as a research data management plan. These results provide valuable insights into the processes and habits regarding the production and use of images in the research context.

Research Data Management in the Image Lifecycle: A Study of Current Behaviors

“…Therefore, many researchers are not concerned with its management. The results coincide with those collected by Fernandes et al [8], where the generality said they did not have a guiding document or formal practices for this purpose. Although images are widely produced and used in research, there are no guidelines to direct researchers to standardized practices regarding images.…”

“…In the creation process, it is visible that the methods differ by research domain. In this study, the use of digital instruments is highlighted, prevalent in ESE, LHS, and NES, which was also confirmed in the previous survey [8]. At certain times, researchers pay attention to quality assurance, mainly in the domains of LSH and NES.…”

“…However, there were no standard procedures to do so, varying with the type of study. In the questionnaire article [8], not all researchers perform this task, which also happens here. Regarding the processing/analysis phase, most researchers admit that it occurs according to the situations and context of the work, without any formal method or common practice in the work group.…”

“…To further investigate the responses and conclusions of Fernandes et al [8], we have conducted interviews with researchers from different domains. Although the questionnaires allow reaching a more significant number of people, the interviews allow more profound analysis and validation of the results, provided by the direct contact that the interviews allow.…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, only one work studied the habits of researchers managing images in the research process. Fernandes et al [8] created a questionnaire for this purpose and analyzed the collected responses. The authors concluded that researchers do not have the practice of managing and organizing the images they use or produce in their projects.…”