Research data management and sharing awareness, attitude, and behavior of academic researchers

Abstract

This study assesses the research data management (RDM) awareness, attitude, practices, and behaviors of Pakistan's academic researchers. By using an internationally designed structured questionnaire as a data collection instrument. Quantitative survey research method was opted to meet the research objectives and data was collected from academicians and researchers of four premier universities of Pakistan. The study reveals used and produced data file formats, data acquisition sources, data storage patterns, metadata and tagging practices, data sharing patterns, RDM awareness, attitude, and behavior of the respondents by investigating the self-opinion of respondents on extensive sets of structured questionnaire items. It is a comprehensive assessment of the phenomenon from a developing country's perspective where research data management policies are absent at national and institutional level. The findings have theoretical implications for researchers and practical implications for policymakers, university administrators, university library administrators, and educational trainers.