Data Services provides free consultations via Zoom or email to members of the Johns Hopkins community. Contact us at dataservices@jhu.edu or fill out our form to request a consultation in any of the areas listed below. We also regularly offer training and workshops in many of these topics.
Data Services operates the JHU Data Archive and provides consulting to help you prepare your project data for longer-term access by you and your research community. We can help you deposit your data into the JHU Data Archive or into another preservation and sharing option. To learn more, visit our Archiving page.
Data management plans should address how data will be managed, disseminated and preserved over the course of a research project. We recommend using the DMPTool, a free, web-based editor, to help you efficiently write your plan. The DMPTool contains funder-specific data management plan templates, as well as JHU-specific information on topics such as data management policies, resources, and individuals at JHU who may be able to help. Sign in under “JHU” and use this Quick Start Guide to get started. We encourage you to send us a draft of your plan through the “Request Feedback” feature within the DMPTool for a quick review (responses usually provided within a business day).
Our library offers access to a wealth of data collections from government sources, proprietary databases, not-for-profit agencies, and other institutions. Data Services can help you navigate these and other publicly available sources. We can also help you with the process when using a data set requires a data security plan or special policy considerations. For more information about available data and statistics please see the library’s Data and Statistics page.
Do you need a particular dataset to conduct your research? Is there a dataset that would be useful to your department or research group? If you are an active JHU affiliate you may apply for a JHU Libraries Data Grant and, contingent on eligibility and availability, you will receive access to the data you need. Applications are open from July 1st to September 30th every year. Visit the JHU Libraries Data Grant page for more information about the program, and how to apply.
Our GIS specialists provide consultation on using GIS software, as well as accessing, analyzing and visualizing geospatial data and maps in your teaching, coursework, and research. Data Services provides free access to the Esri suite of ArcGIS software for members of the JHU community and also manages the university’s collection of digital and print maps. We are available for individual and group consultations to help you find the best tools and resources to fit your research needs. For more information about our GIS and Maps-related services, visit our main GIS guide.
We can help JHU affiliates design and implement data visualizations across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Effective data visualization can help you explore, understand, and communicate your data. We offer several workshops introducing fundamental data visualization concepts and tools to guide you in the process of creating visualizations for your data. We also provide individual and group consultations. Whether you are just starting to incorporate data visualization into your research or are seeking more advanced tools and techniques in visualization, we can assist you.
We can help JHU affiliates to design and implement statistical analyses of social and behavioral data. For example, at the statistical planning stage, our experts can help you think about questions such as: experimental or observational designs for empirical inquiry, deciding upon an analysis and software, and figuring out how much data you will need. We can help with various aspects of working with the data and software. We can help with common methodologies such as: multi-level, panel or longitudinal models, treatment effects estimation, examining residuals and handling non-linearity, and making predictions that help to convey your substantive findings. To access these social statistical consulting services, please set up an appointment or contact dataservices@jhu.edu with a detailed explanation of your needs.