Archiving refers to the storage and accessibility of research data'Data that are a) created through scientific processes/research (e.g. through measurements, surveys, source work),  b) the basis for scientific research  (e.g. digital artefacts), or c) documenting the results of research, can be called research data.This means that research data vary according to projects and academic disciplines and therefore, require different methods of processing and management, subsumed under the term research data management” (Forschungsdaten.info, 2023). Read More and materials. The aim of archiving is to enable long-term access to research data. On one hand, archived research data can be reused by third parties as secondary dataSecondary data are data derived from primary data through further processing steps (e.g., statistical analyses) and then serve as a basis for additional evaluations. Secondary data are derived from primary data but no longer reflect the original form of the primary data. In social and cultural anthropology, this distinction between primary and secondary data, which is significant in statistics, is of little relevance. Read More for their own research questions. On the other hand, archiving ensures that research processes remain verifiable and transparent. There is also long-term archiving (LTA), which aims to ensure the usability of data over an indefinite period of time. LTA focuses on preserving the authenticity, integrity, accessibility, and comprehensibility of data.

In many disciplines, a standard retention period of at least ten years has been established for research data. Since this period may be impacted by technological changes, regular review of the data is necessary to ensure its preservation and usability.