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Why Data Management Plan Matters
Data Management Plan (DMP) is a formal document, created at the proposal stage of a research project, to describe how you will collect, manage, describe, preserve, and share your research data.
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An increasing number of funding agencies are requiring researchers to prepare a DMP to submit along with a research proposal. This ensures the valuable data collected in the funded projects can be reused by other research groups, thus maximizing the return of the investment on the funded projects. | |
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As articles with the relevant data being openly accessible usually attract more citations, many journal publishers require researchers to deposit the supporting data of articles in an open repository to enhance their visibility and impact. Having a DMP for your research project assists you to prepare your data for open access. | |
Although a written DMP may not be compulsory, it can be a valuable tool to help you in the following ways:
► A useful reference for yourself
DMP can serve as a document to assist you in planning and making decisions on managing research data.
► Continuity of research work for the whole team
DMP helps ensure consistent data handling practice among all project members.
► Facilitating data sharing with others
DMP allows you to plan, during the initial stages of your project, about data format, structure, storage, and sharing of data, thus facilitates easier data sharing with your collaborators and other potential users in the future.
Good Practices for DMP
Here are some good practices in preparing a DMP:
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Prepare your DMP earlier DMP is best prepared at the beginning of your research project. However, it is never too late to start mid-way during the research process - better late than never. |
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DMP is a dynamic document You should review your DMP regularly and revisit, update, and improve it according to the actual needs as the project progresses. |
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DMP does not need to be complex You should keep your DMP practical and simple to reflect how you want to manage your data. You can also make use of online tools to create a DMP with ease. |
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Deal with length constraint Some funders may have length constraints on DMP. You can make use of your funder's DMP template as an outline while expanding other areas with more information for your team's own reference. |
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Elaborate on how to execute the DMP It is good to quote policies in DMP, but it is more important to state your implementation of these policies. |
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Seek advice from your peers DMP can be enhanced through collaboration. You can gain valuable comments to improve your DMP with a second reviewer. |
DMP Examples
Below are some DMP examples and rubrics you may refer to. We also encourage you to explore the major DMP components for a better understanding of what constitutes a good DMP.
Data Policies & DMP Requirements