Abstract
D. Litt. et Phil.
The use of data in science has evolved to a new level in e-science. Collaboration in e-
science is important as scientists, engineers and technologists work together to solve scientific
problems, through the collection and analysis of large data sets. These experiments can generate
enormous amounts of data, creating a need for more efficient storage, management and processing of
data.
Data needs to be managed effectively to ensure possible future use for secondary analysis and
further experimentation. The practice of data curation deals with the management of data, with the
objective of sustaining data as a resource for future use. A number of frameworks and models have
been developed to address the curation of data, but only the Open Archival Information System
(OAIS) has been accepted
internationally.
The World Data Centre (WDC) is an organisation that was established to ensure
access to scientific data for a number of different scientific disciplines. This
organisation consists of 52 individual data centres (iWDCs) that are members of the WDC, and are
responsible for the curation of scientific data. Because the data curation practices and needs of
each iWDC differ, the purpose of this study is to determine to what extent it is possible to
develop a framework for the curation of data in the WDC. This study used a mixed method research
design through the collection of data from an online survey (quantitative data) and a multiple-case
case study (qualitative data). All the iWDCs were invited to participate in the online survey,
which was created to quantify OAIS functional model compatibility, sampling for the case
study was
conducted based on the OAIS functional model compatibility scores.
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Based on the findings from this study, suggestions towards a suitable framework for
the curation of data in the WDC are made. The key outcomes from this research included a
quantitative OAIS functional model compatibility test and suggestions towards a suitable framework
for the curation of data. The suggestions towards a suitable framework for the curation of data in
the WDC should in future be tested in the newly formed World Data System (WDS) and adjustments made
to create a viable
framework for curating data in the WDS.