Thing 15: Data management plans

Overview

Teaching: min
Exercises: min

Questions

• What is a Data Management Plan?

Objectives

• Objective 1.

Thing 15: Data management plans Some research institutions and research funders now require researchers to submit a Data Management Plan (DMP) for new projects. What should a DMP cover? Could you help with one? Getting started: What’s a DMP? Learn more: Critiquing a DMP Challenge me: DMPs and the Humanities

Getting started: An introduction to Data Management Plans

A Data Management Plan (DMP) documents how data will be managed, stored and shared during and after a research project. Some research funders are now requesting that researchers submit a DMP as part of their project proposal.

Start by scanning this short introduction to Data Management Plans Now browse through some public DMPs from either the CDL or DataOne, and open up one or two of the DMPs to see the type of information they capture: California Digital Library DataOne

Consider: You will have noticed that DMPs can be very short, or extremely long and complex. What do you think are the 2 or 3 pieces of information essential to include in every DMP and why you choose those?

Learn more: Templates for Data Management Plans

Preparing a Data Management Plan (DMP) can be complex and should be done at the start of the project. This makes sure that all the elements are in place by the time the research team needs to publish their data. DMP templates are now freely available for reuse by other institutions.

Choose one DMP template or guide from the Australian, International or Discipline examples at the bottom of the ANDS DMP page

Consider: what are the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen template.

Challenge me: Data Management Plans for the Humanities

Data Management Plans from successful grant applications to the US National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have been made public via popular demand and FOI Act requests. Download a couple of public DMPs from the NEH DMP page and scan through them. Which Library or eResearch infrastructure/tools could an Australian Digital Humanities researcher use in their plan?

Consider: Do any of these DMPs resonate with your experience? Share why that is (e.g. good/bad practice, realistic/unrealistic goals).

Key Points

• First key point.