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Research Data Management

Sharing good practices for Research Data Management

Getting Started in DMP


How you write your DMP depends on what type of data you have, your specific needs, or other requirements from funders, journal publishers, or other external parties. You can refer to various DMP checklists and examples to learn more about what constitutes a DMP.

It is always easier to start by using established online tools for DMP. These tools provide you with step-by-step instructions to build a DMP according to the requirements of major funders or with a generic template. This is especially helpful for researchers who are new to DMP preparation. The most well-known tools are DMPTool and DMPonline.

          

DMPTool is a free online tool developed by the University of California, which aims at helping researchers to create DMPs that meet institutional and funder requirements.

Majority of the DMP templates provided in this tool are for US funders, but you can still use it by selecting the DMP template from DCC (Digital Curation Centre) for generic purposes.

To get started, you can refer to the steps below:

Step 1: Visit DMPTool and then click Get Started.

Click to see the screenshot

Step 2: Click on Create an account under "Option 3", or sign in via Email address under "Option 2" if you have already created an account.

Click to see the screenshot

Step 3: Click on the Create plan tab and answer the 3 questions regarding your research. Then click on Create plan button at the bottom.

Click to see the screenshot

Step 4: You can then start to write your plan by filling in the Project details and Write plan tabs. The required information will depend on the requirements of the institution and funder you selected in Step 3. 

Click to see the screenshot

You can invite collaborators to contribute to your DMP with the Share tab, and download your DMP in various formats in the Download tab. Refer to this quick start guide to learn more.


Next: DMPonline >>

          

DMPonline is a free online tool developed by the Digital Curation Centre (DCC), which helps you to create, review, and share DMP that meet institutional and funder requirements.

Majority of the DMP templates provided in this tool are for UK and European funders, but you can still create a DMP with built-in DCC guidance for generic purposes.

To get started, you can refer to the steps below:

Step 1: Visit DMPonline and click Create account. Input Other in the "Organisation" field.

Click to see the screenshot

Step 2: Click on Create plans tab and answer the 3 questions about your research. Then click on Create plan button at the bottom.

Click to see the screenshot

Step 3: You can then start to write your plan by filling in the Project details and Write plan tabs. The required information will depend on the requirements of the institution and funder you selected in Step 2.

Click to see the screenshot

You can invite collaborators to contribute to your DMP with the Share tab, and download your DMP in various formats in the Download tab. Refer to the Help page to learn more.


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