How to create a Data Management Plan (DMP)?

The purpose of creating a data management plan is to save time and resources, documenting your data, preserving your research contribution and meeting funding requirements.  The DMP should provide the following information:

• Title of the research
• Purpose of the research
• What type of data will be collected, how will the data be collected and in what format?
• How much data will be generated?
• Over what period will the data be collected and how often will it change?
• If you are not using your own data, where is it from?
• Name(s) of the person(s) will be carrying out the DMP

  Data Storage, Retention and Preservation

As part of your plan, you will have to decide how you will organise, document and backup your research data.  This should include:

• File naming convention and folder hierarchy
• Documentation on metadata, i.e. documents making the data understandable
• Storage and backup of data, i.e. storage options, local procedures and security
• File formats that ensures long-term accessibility, e.g. TIFF, XML

  Sharing of Research Data

Data sharing increases the visibility of your research and can lead to new discoveries.  The following should be considered with regard to data sharing:

• Who has the right to manage the data? E.g. the main researcher, student, the university or funding agency?
• What data will be shared, when and how?
• Are there privacy, ethical or confidentiality concerns and how will it be dealt with?
• Who holds the intellectual property rights on the data produced and used?
• Does the funding agency hold any restrictions on sharing the data?  If so, what?

  RDM Tools & Guides

JISC RDM Toolkit

LEARN Project RDM Toolkit

University of Cambridge Data Management Guide

MIT Libraries Data Management Guide

Future of Text and Data Mining: Data Management Guidelines for Researchers

Reference List

MIT Libraries. Data management (n.d.). https://libraries.mit.edu/data-management/

Whyte, A., Tedds, J. (2011). Making the Case for Research Data Management. DCC Briefing Papers.
Edinburgh: Digital Curation Centre. https://www.dcc.ac.uk/guidance/briefing-papers/making-case-rdm

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