University Research and Management of Records

Frequently Asked Questions regarding Research Records and Management of Records.

I am in Research. How should I manage our Research Records? 

The following resources are available to assist with the management of research records. The minimum retention is 7 years from the end of the study. If departments would like to keep records longer, please contact the University Records Officer to draft a retention schedule which will complement the Data Management Plan and give direction in the time frame and requirements for management of records.

Research Records – Slides from Presentation given to Research community.

Please refer to the UW- Madison Policy on Data Stewardship, Access and Retention and Retention schedule for Research and Data Records.

• Research Data Services – Research Data Management Plans
• UW-Madison Graduate School: Policy on Data Stewardship, Access and Retention
• Human Research Protection Program: Policy Maintenance of IRB Records
• Human Research Protection Program: Policy Retention of IRB Records
• ED/SBS IRB Guidance: Post Project Procedures & Data Retention

For Preferred, Acceptable and Acceptable for Imminent Transfer File Format for storage of electronic information see National Archives Appendix A: Tables of File Formats.