What is a Data Management Plan (DMP)?
A Data Management Plan (DMP) is a document outlining what data will be generated, collected, or used for a research project, and how that data will be managed during and after a research project.
Major research funders require explicit Data Management Plans (DMPs) as part of research proposals and requests for funding.
Research funders requiring DMPs
- Department of Energy (DOE)Requires data management plans, focusing on digital data to validate research findings.
- Department of TransportationRequires data management plans, focusing on long-term preservation of, and access to, digital data sets.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Requires data management plans, focusing on research data supporting peer reviewed publications.
- Institute of Education Sciences (IES)Requires data management plans, focusing on final research data from grants.
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)Requires data management plans, focusing on “research data that underlie the results and findings in peer-reviewed publications.”
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)Requires data management plans as a part of grant applications for proposals and awards.
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)Requires data management plans, outlining the handling of data generated by NIFA-funded
projects during and after the completion of the project. - National Institutes of Health (NIH)Requires data management plans, focusing on final research data (for grants of $500,000 or more).
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)Requires data management plans, focusing on environmental data collected during the course of funded research.
- National Science Foundation (NSF)Requires data management plans as an extension of the NSF Data Sharing Policy.
DMP Tool
DMP Tool is a free web-based tool that keeps all of the funder requirements up to date.
It can help you:
- create your own DMP using templates that address specific funder requirements
- maintain and archive your DMPs in one location
- co-author a DMP with collaborators
Sample DMPs
DMPs submitted to NSF
DMPs submitted to NASA
Typical DMP components
Data description
1) A description of the new data to be collected; 2) A description of existing relevant data (when applicable) and how these data will be integrated into the project.
Data format and dissemination
Formats in which the data will be generated, managed, and made available.
Data quality assurance
Procedures for ensuring data quality during the project.
Metadata
A description of the metadata and metadata standards to be used along with the generated data.
Data storage and preservation
A description of data storage methods and backup procedures during and after the project.
Data security
A description of data security methods to protect confidentiality, personal privacy, proprietary interests, business confidential information, and intellectual property rights and how permissions, restrictions, and embargoes will be enforced.
Data sharing
A description of data sharing procedures during and after the project, including a timeframe for data sharing and publishing.
Roles and responsibilities
Names of the individuals responsible for data management in the project and a contingency plan in case key personnel leave the project.
Intellectual property rights
Entities or individuals who will hold the intellectual property rights to the data, any copyright restrictions, and how intellectual property will be protected if necessary.
Archiving costs
The costs of preparing data for archiving and how these costs will be paid.