Recap

You have now completed Module 5: Following Data Retention Guidelines.

Remember:

• Data retention requirements are commonly imposed by the project sponsor and the publishing journal. In some cases, additional circumstances, such as allegations of misconduct, create a need for data to be retained beyond required guidelines.
• Data produced by research and investigation should be retained for at least as long as the financial records. Check with the project sponsor to determine if longer retention requirements are necessary for specific research data.
• A project's final termination date occurs when both the financial and the technical reports have been delivered to the sponsor, thus closing out the project.
• Ongoing data access should be considered when deciding what format(s) will be used to maintain research data during the retention period.
• When data retention periods have been met, data destruction must be carried out according to University policy, which requires the secure destruction of any records that contain private data, both paper and electronic.

Proceed to Module 6: Summary and Frequently Asked Questions by clicking
the forward arrow ( ) above.

Comments on this module? Email: rschtrng@umn.edu