Research data can be any systematic collection of information that is used by the researcher for their analysis. Typical examples of data include sensor readings, experimental result recordings, survey results, or simulation output. Numeric data in various formats abounds, but research data can also include video, sound, or text data, if it is used for systematic analysis. For example, while a feature film would usually not be considered research data, a corpus of video interviews that had been tagged to identify gesture and facial expression would be considered research data.
Research data must be appropriately structured and documented in order for it to be used effectively for analysis. Any unique programs or models needed to analyse the data stream should be preserved as well.