Writing Assignment 3: Data Management

Question 1. Outline an appropriate data management plan. Who will be responsible for the data
collection, data entry, and data management? What tools will you use to collect and stored the
data? Provide enough detail so that someone reviewing your plan knows enough to understand it
and assess its appropriateness.

My data management plan will include:

o A scientific plan
o Data Collection
o Data Storage
o Data Entry
o Data Distribution

There will be assignment staff (Data Management Team) for the study which will include the
Researcher /Principal investigator (myself) Study clerks, Data manager

The tools to collect the data include

Questionnaires (biodemographic and behavioural details)

Laboratory investigations of PPD

Phone calls/ electronic data collection

Home visits

The data collected will be stored in some computer software packages like

o Excel spreadsheets
o Epi Info
o REDCap
o Open source systems
 The hard copies of questionnaires will be stored in office cupboards of the data manager
such that they can be retrieved and audited whenever needed for further researches.
Question 2. How will you go about checking the accuracy of the data and what is your plan for
correcting errors if they are identified?

To check for accuracies, I will at the point of collection of data use questionnaires that will get the
actual answers that meet the research questions.

The questionnaire will be simple such that the interviewee understands the questions.

All forms be completed during the study visit to avoid forgetfulness from backlog of
uncompleted forms. This will minimize missing data. The questionnaires will:
 Use drop down menus
 Hide fields that are not applicable
 error checking at the point of entry
The Redcap data entry method incorporates the above and is very useful

During data entry standardized variable numbers will be used and the coding system will be
consistent

Other methods of improving accuracies include

o barcodes,
o electronic data capture systems such as Audio Computer Assisted Interviews
(ACASI) and Open Data Kit

Errors in the data management may be corrected by

data cleaning: Here I will try to identify

o missing data.
o impossible values
o inconsistencies
o transcription error

Question 3. How will you distribute the data to your collaborators who will be involved with the
analysis? What information will they need to understand the data?

He data may be sent electronically to collaborators involved in the research.

They will need the coding systems such that they may correctly interpret the dataset. Any alteration
during data cleaning MUST be recorded (STATA/SQL)
Master dataset as well as any correction