Data demystified: Experts unravel research data secrets
Dalena Rogers is a dedicated master’s degree candidate with a fervor for botanical exploration. She researches the important roles of obscure plants (Sophora tomentosa and Chromolaena corymbosa) in the natural ecosystems of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.
She’s had a way with seed collection, careful harvesting, and fieldwork; however, the knack for data organization took time to develop.
“I had no idea what I was doing during my first experiment,” Rogers said. “My data collection consisted of an over-complicated Excel file, in which I attributed a certain name to each individual seed I was testing divided by plant number, rep. number, and treatment.”
Then Rogers connected with Megan O’Donnell, research data services lead in The Catalyst, at the University Library.
O’Donnell helped her discover relevant source material for her plant research. And Rogers began attending drop-in sessions in The Catalyst with O’Donnell, who assists graduate students with research two afternoons each week. Rogers walked O’Donnell through her experiment to show what she was measuring and demonstrate how her observations were recorded.
“Once I had that information and understood the goal of her study, we were able to pinpoint and correct the issue in the data,” O’Donnell said.
Rogers needed to revisit and simplify her method for naming.
“She helped me numerous times with setting up my data, properly measuring variables, and even interpreting results,” Rogers said.
She stresses that working with O’Donnell and Philip Dixon, University Professor of Statistics, improved the integrity of her research.
“I am so much more confident in the usage of the data I collected to answer my research questions and to produce an accurate and relevant answer to how certain treatments impact germination,” Rogers said. “This will be so helpful as I pursue a career in coastal restoration, conservation and marine ecosystems, and community education.”
The Catalyst, located in Parks Library, is the go-to space for researchers like Rogers to get assistance with data collection and curation. And it is a one-stop location for access to expertise, tools, and software related to digital research. News of the stemming data scene has traveled fast, and students and faculty are taking full advantage of the experts in The Catalyst.
In addition to workshops, The Catalyst hosts four regular drop-in sessions:
- Research Methods Meet Ups for project study design and data analysis,
- Tidy Data Salons are an hour dedicated to better data,
- Digital Humanities Open-Source Toolbox, where participants can experiment with digital humanities software, and
- Digital Repository Drop-ins for researchers to explore sharing scholarship Open Access.
Attend a drop-in session or workshop: https://go.iastate.edu/CATALYSTLEARNING
For additional information visit The Catalyst website.
