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| dcc:pdpsol:dataminimization [2026/04/08 14:02] – alba | dcc:pdpsol:dataminimization [2026/04/29 13:52] (current) – add comment solveig about contact information in surverys marlon | ||
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| This concept is also relevant if you use certain variables as an **independent variable** in your research. For example, if you want to collect location data, it is often unnecessary to know someone’s exact address or neighbourhood to answer a research question. For example, if the goal is to compare happiness within different regions in a country, broader categories such as rural versus urban areas may be sufficient. However, in some situations, it might be necessary to collect more detailed or high-granularity data. For example, if the research is about neighbourhood connections, | This concept is also relevant if you use certain variables as an **independent variable** in your research. For example, if you want to collect location data, it is often unnecessary to know someone’s exact address or neighbourhood to answer a research question. For example, if the goal is to compare happiness within different regions in a country, broader categories such as rural versus urban areas may be sufficient. However, in some situations, it might be necessary to collect more detailed or high-granularity data. For example, if the research is about neighbourhood connections, | ||
| - | ==== Take into account the effort of research participation | + | === Take into account the effort of research participation === |
| - | Although it is important to consider what personal data you need for your research, it is also important to be mindful of the effort and strain participation may place on data subjects. This means you should limit the collection of personal data to what you need for your research. However, you should also respect participants’ time and effort, and avoid designing studies that require participants to take part multiple times due to narrowly defined research questions. This is particularly important when working with vulnerable or hard-to-reach groups. In such cases, it is advisable to design studies that can address several relevant questions at once, thereby maximizing the value of participants’ contributions while minimizing their strain. | + | Although it is important to consider what personal data you need for your research, it is also important to be mindful of the effort and strain participation may place on your participants. This means you should limit the collection of personal data to what you need for your research. However, you should also respect participants’ time and effort, and avoid designing studies that require participants to take part multiple times due to narrowly defined research questions. This is particularly important when working with vulnerable or hard-to-reach groups. In such cases, it is advisable to design studies that can address several relevant questions at once, thereby maximizing the value of participants’ contributions while minimizing their strain. |
| ==== Use consistent file naming and version control ==== | ==== Use consistent file naming and version control ==== | ||
| Organize your data consistently by using a file naming strategy and good folder structure. The [[https:// | Organize your data consistently by using a file naming strategy and good folder structure. The [[https:// | ||
| - | * Do not include contact information | + | * Do not include contact information, other (parts of) personal data or any information relating to your participants |
| * Add version numbers to your file names to easily keep track of the different versions of processed data you are storing. | * Add version numbers to your file names to easily keep track of the different versions of processed data you are storing. | ||
| * It is good practice to create a version control table to keep track of different versions. The version control table can include information on different version numbers, authors, notes, and when the file was last updated. The table can also include a summary of the differences between the current version and previous versions. The version control table can be an independent text file, or it can be included at the top of your document, scripts, or other files. | * It is good practice to create a version control table to keep track of different versions. The version control table can include information on different version numbers, authors, notes, and when the file was last updated. The table can also include a summary of the differences between the current version and previous versions. The version control table can be an independent text file, or it can be included at the top of your document, scripts, or other files. | ||
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| ===Type of data=== | ===Type of data=== | ||
| Some data can reveal more information about an individual than others. Only use an extensive or detailed data collection method if you also use this type of data to answer your research question. | Some data can reveal more information about an individual than others. Only use an extensive or detailed data collection method if you also use this type of data to answer your research question. | ||
| - | * **Video**: Observational research, facial expressions, | + | * **Video**: Observational research |
| - | * **Audio**: | + | * **Audio**: |
| - | * **Text**: Structured interviews | + | * **Text**: Structured |
| ===Contact information=== | ===Contact information=== | ||
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| ===Contact information=== | ===Contact information=== | ||
| - | Do not collect contact information if you do not plan to contact your participants after you have collected the data (e.g. in case of recruitment via social media, posters or third parties). The [[https:// | + | Do not collect contact information if you do not plan to contact your participants after you have collected the data (e.g. in case of recruitment via social media, posters or third parties). The [[https:// |
| === Informed Consent === | === Informed Consent === | ||
| Informed consent can reveal personal information about your participants. Minimize the amount of personal data on your consent form and plan to handle consent registration with care. Follow the practical guidelines on the DCC website about [[https:// | Informed consent can reveal personal information about your participants. Minimize the amount of personal data on your consent form and plan to handle consent registration with care. Follow the practical guidelines on the DCC website about [[https:// | ||
| - | ++++ Informed consent via an online platform | | + | ++++ (Click) |
| If you are conducting questionnaire research via an online platform (e.g., Qualtrics), you can ask consent via a question in the platform itself. Make sure to follow your [[https:// | If you are conducting questionnaire research via an online platform (e.g., Qualtrics), you can ask consent via a question in the platform itself. Make sure to follow your [[https:// | ||
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| * **Social media data scraping** is the automated collection of user-generated content and metadata from platforms like X (Formerly Twitter) and YouTube for systematic analysis. Make sure you limit the variables you collect during scraping and define clear filters to your range (e.g. keywords and date range). Consider taking a sample and not scraping all the data that falls within this range. | * **Social media data scraping** is the automated collection of user-generated content and metadata from platforms like X (Formerly Twitter) and YouTube for systematic analysis. Make sure you limit the variables you collect during scraping and define clear filters to your range (e.g. keywords and date range). Consider taking a sample and not scraping all the data that falls within this range. | ||
| * **[[https:// | * **[[https:// | ||
| - | * **Manual data collection and observation** make it possible to already anonymously or pseudonymously collect certain | + | * **Manual data collection and observation** make it possible to carefully design your data collection and easily prevent the collection of identifiable |