Paradata Literacy and the Challenges of Research Data Management

Recent research data management literature has increasingly underlined the importance of broadening the scope of documenting preserved datasets to encompass contextual information (Faniel et al., 2019) and paradata, i.e. data on the processes of its inception and processing (Huvila, 2022). It has been further noted that this has an impact on the competencies required from data creators, managers, and users. The aim of this paper is to provide insights into what types of competencies are nec-essary for successful data documentation and reuse with a focus on the literacies pertaining to paradata, or documentation of data practices and processes. We draw from an interna-tional interview study of researchers and professionals (N=33) working with archaeological data to delve into the question of the elements of paradata literacy, what competencies are desired of whom and for what purposes, and how paradata literacy or literacies link to the broader genre of data literacies in the context of data-work.