...
Data curation is a set of data management activities that should be considered when developing data management and sharing plans. When planning for data management, it is important to consider the provisions needed for curation, especially for data that are large in size or volume, require specialized hardware or software, contain sensitive information (i.e., protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII)), or are otherwise complexneed specialized support.
Why curate data?
Data curation is a disciplined practice that is essential for the long-term accessibility and usability of research data assets. It not only anticipates inevitable changes in technology that are likely to make it impossible to open a file in a few years' time, but also it is sensitive to changes in how research is done. Even if data are housed in an established data repository, there are no guarantees that anyone, including you, will be able to use or even understand them if the data are insufficiently documented. The video below offers a light-hearted (but very real) portrayal of why data curation should be incorporated into the research process.
...