Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Research Design, and Informatics (BERDI)

REDCap Bits

Accessing REDCap

Lifespan’s REDCap is free to use for Lifespan projects. 

Access Lifespan REDCap

If your primary affiliation is with the University of Rhode Island (URI) and you would like access to URI's instance of REDCap, please complete this service request.

Introduction to REDCap

Can’t make it to one of our live Introduction to REDCap sessions? No worries! We have a recording from a previous offering of this seminar available for your review.

REDCap Advanced User Series Videos

eConsent Through REDCap

Watch "eConsent through REDCap: How to utilize REDCap’s eConsent Framework to Approach your Digital Consent Process," with Ali Chambers, PhD and Jeff Richardson, from the Center for Digital Health Seminar Series, May 26, 2021.

Data Structure with REDCap

Active Design Rather than Passive

Many users are not aware that they can choose what their database looks like in REDCap. The key is to make those choices before you get started using REDCap's features.

REDCap Advanced Users Series

Randomization

This webinar clears up the common misconception that REDCap randomizes participants, and  provides the tools you need to use the randomization module with your project.

Field Embedding in REDCap

The field embedding features allows you to customize how your data entry forms looks, including allowing you to reposition field elements on a survey page or data entry form.

Lifespan REDCap and CFR 21 Part 11 Compliance

CFR 21 Part 11 Compliance is not a feature that can be turned on, but rather a process that a project needs to go through to ensure traceability and data integrity. In general, each project has system-level compliance requirements AND project level compliance requirements.

  • Documentation on system-level data integrity can be found below.
  • Project-level compliance must be determined by each PI on a project-level basis. In general REDCap has tools to make this easy. Credentialed user logins, project logging, e-signatures/locking management, field comment log, data resolution workflow. However, each project needs to have a documented procedure, training and validation for its intended use.

Learn more about CFR 21 part 11 (regularly updated information)

Learn more specifically about CFR 21 part 11 compliance in REDCap:

Research Information Science & Computing (RISC)

Institute of Translational Health Servies (ITHS)

View a compliance document example (PDF).

REDCap Citation for Lifespan Security and Infrastructure

Data will be collected and managed using the REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at Lifespan’s Department of Information Services.

REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure, web-based application designed to support data capture for research studies, providing 1:

  1. An intuitive interface for validated data entry
  2. Audit trails for tracking data manipulation and export procedures
  3. Automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to common statistical packages
  4. Procedures for importing data from external sources

The Lifespan REDCap infrastructure comprises two production and two test servers, all of which are backed up daily. All data in encrypted in transit and at rest. Backups occur every night and are retained for 35 iterations. In addition, long-term backup occurs monthly and is retained for 7 years off site.

REDCap data storage servers are located behind a firewall, are virtual, and are protected by multi-layered, enterprise-level security (monitored 24/7/365). All hardware resides in the corporate data center, which is physically secure, with triple-redundant power. This architecture was designed by network engineering and approved by IS security.


1. Paul A. Harris, Robert Taylor, Robert Thielke, Jonathon Payne, Nathaniel Gonzalez, Jose G. Conde. Research electronic data capture (REDCap) – A metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. Journal of Biomedical Informatics. 2009 Apr;42(2):377-81. Abstract