Ian Diamond ESRC

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Ian DiamondESRC

• ESRC and Future Data Needs

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ESRC and the Data Provision

• This is not a new funding stream!
• First funding 1967
• Late 1970s gt gt1000 studies
• Depositors and users represent a large range of
  institutions
• Concentration?

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ESRC Principles

• Quality
• Relevance
• Independence
• Availability
• Accessibility

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Future Data Needs

• Two Questions
• What are data?
• Who decides what are future needs?

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What are Data?

• 1967 largely large scale quantitative social
  surveys in MDCs
• 2003 data much more heterogeneous in terms of
• Geographical coverage
• Government accessibility
• Type of data collection strategy
• 2010 ?

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What are data? - 2010 needs

• Quantitative
• Qualitative
• Administrative
• Biological
• Anthropometric
• Environmental
• In any or all combinations and/or permutations

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An aside

• All the above data types are subject to
  non-sampling error!

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Who decides what are future data needs?

• Research community will continue to produce many
  (most) data sets in (relatively) small individual
  studies
• AND
• There must be coordination (and ownership) of
  large established and new national treasures
• gt
• Dialogue between researchers and producers

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National Data Strategy

• Some potential questions (NB IDs initial
  thoughts)
• What data have widespread national (or
  subnational) need?
• What new research areas are emerging which have
  very large data needs?
• How can data be collected most efficiently?
• How can data be paid for most efficiently?
• Ethics

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Data Usage Strategy

• Data with widespread need must have widespread
  use
• Outreach activities important not just by ESDS
  team
• Cradle to grave
• Access easy
• Fusion easy gt engage with e-science agenda

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Data Analysis

• Simple methods must be accessible
• BUT
• Difficult questions need difficult sums
• gt
• Standard sophisticated methods need to be
  accessible (in an ever changing landscape)
• New methods need to be continually developed
• Dialogue between researchers with different skill
  levels see ESF programme

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Methods development some potential ESRC
principles

• Basic theory needed (response mode)
• Methods programme engaged with data and/or
  substantive research questions
• Development must include iterative dialogue with
  ESDS and with national data strategy (as well as
  with users and researchers)

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Final Points

• There is undoubtedly a continuing critical need
  for a data service
• ESRC very proud to be associated with the ESDS
• Good luck and bon voyage