SUMMARY OF SELECTION AND APPRAISAL OF DATA

Critical Appraisal of the Literature

Selection and appraisal are essential processes in data curation and records management because they ensure that valuable research data and records are preserved for future use (Yakel, 2007). Selection and appraisal play a key role in ensuring that only data of significant value and quality are kept. As noted by the Digital Curation Centre, appraisal enables institutions to determine which digital materials should be preserved for long term and which can be discarded to reduce unnecessary costs and avoid duplication.

Appraisal involves evaluating records and datasets to determine which materials should be preserved permanently, which should be kept for a specified period, and which should be destroyed. The Australian Records Management Standard S 4390, defines appraisal as the evaluation of records to determine their retention and disposal status. Similarly, Harvey (2007) explains that selection generally refers to deciding what will be added to a repository, while appraisal focuses on determining the long-term value of records and data.

Selection cannot be based on individual views about possible future research needs. Research communities and institutions need to develop and agree on a set of objective criteria for assessing the long-term significance of research data sets (Esanu et al., 2004). According to Whyte and Wilson (2010), selection is not an ad hoc activity but should be guided by institutional policies, legal requirements, and community standards. The process must be transparent and accountable to ensure consistency in decision making. Appraisal and selection policies should also comply with legal requirements relating to privacy, intellectual property rights, public records legislation, and institutional data governance policies (Eaker, 2016).  Appraisal as one of the most difficult and contentious responsibility of archivists because it determines what records will be preserves for posterity (Whyte & Wilson 2010).

The Digital Curation Centre (DCC) emphasizes the importance of appraisal and selection in its Curation Lifecycle Model. The appraisal and select stage require data managers to evaluate datasets and determine which materials are suitable for long-term preservation. During this process, different stakeholders play important roles. Data creators ensure that datasets contain adequate metadata and documentation and use preservable formats. Data curators develop appraisal guidelines and selection policies, while repository managers ensure that appraisal criteria are publicly available and effectively implemented (Harvey, 2007)

In conclusion, selection and appraisal are fundamental activities in data curation because they ensure that only reliable, valuable, and reusable data are preserved. Selection determines the scope of evidence available for research, while appraisal evaluates the long-term significance and trustworthiness of that evidence. Together, these processes support credible research and effective preservation of information for future generations.

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Reference

Harvey, R. (2007). "Appraisal and Selection", DCC Digital Curation Manual, S. Ross, M. Day (eds).

Esanu, J., Davidson, J., Ross, S., & Anderson, W. (2004). Selection, Appraisal, and Retention of Digital Scientific Data: Highlights of an ERPANET/CODATA Workshop. Data Science Journal, 3, 226.

Angus Whyte and Andrew Wilson (2010). How to Appraise &  Select Research Data for Curation. Digital Curation Centre, Australian National Data Service

Eaker, C. (2016). Selection and appraisal of digital research datasets. In Kellam, L. & Thompson, K. (Eds.).Databrarianship: The Academic Data Librarian in Theory and Practice. American Library Association.