The data of the thesis refers to the data collected to reach the goals of the thesis and to solve the problems. Data can be collected, for example, with interviews, inquiries, measurement, or observation.
The planning of data management is an important part of the thesis process. Planning helps determine how the data will be collected, how it will be kept systematically and safely, how research ethics will be taken care of, and what will happen to the data after the study. Consequently, in the planning, all the data-related things must be taken into account, from the beginning of the thesis process until its end. The key principles of data management need to be thought about before the collection of the data, but details can also be specified during the process.
The planning of data management is needed especially if the thesis requires a research permission or an ethical preliminary assessment. The importance of planning is also emphasised when personal data are collected. Moreover, the participants of the study must be informed beforehand, among others, of how the data are processed, how privacy protection is guaranteed, and what will be done to the data after the research process. Careful data management also serves the later use of the data and enables the data to be saved and opened for use by other people after the thesis process. For more detailed instructions on data management, see Appendix 5 (instructions and plan).