Data Management @ ODU

A data management plan (DMP) documents your data management activities as outlined in the Data Management Essentials section. Funding agencies often require data management plans, which helps ensure sustained public access to grant supported research data. As part of a grant proposal, a DMP is where researchers describe the types of data they will collect and how they plan to maintain and share that data.

A DMP may be called different things by different funders, such as a Data Management and Sharing Plan (NIH) or Digital Product Form (IMLS).

A DMP should be a "living document" (Harvard Medical School Data Management Plans) that may need to be revised and updated as your project progresses. It can and should be a dynamic document, evolving if changes need to be made during the project.

Generally, funding agencies will have specific criteria for what they expect in a data management plan. Typical elements include:

• Type(s) of data
• Documentation and data description
• Storage and security, including privacy and confidentiality considerations
• Provisions for archiving, reuse, access, and sharing
• Roles & responsibilities

For additional information, please see the following:

• Harvard Medical School Data Management Plans
• MIT Libraries Data management
• NC State University Libraries Elements of a Data Management Plan
• ICPSR Framework for Crating a Data Management Plan

Important at this stage is to review any special considerations your research plan will need to address. 

It's always best to contact the ODU Division of Research and Economic Development for assistance with the following:

• Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes
• Human participants research and PII
• Research using animals
• Biohazards
• Research using controlled substances
• Research using hazardous chemicals, lasers, or radiation

Remember that properly managing your data does not mean it necessarily needs to be or can be shared. 

• Purdue University's Sensitive Research Data Management guide may be helpful when thinking through what data to share.

Data Management Plan Templates

You can create your own data management plan document that meets the requirements for submissions as outlined by particular funders. Some funders have also created templates that they post on their websites: 

• NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan Format Page
• USGS Templates and Examples

DMPTool

Another option is to use the DMPTool, a service of the California Digital Library, which provides a guided approach to completing your plan. You can use the DMPTool to create your data management plan whether or not it is required by a funding agency. It will help you in planning and organizing your research data so that you can make it available for others to use and adapt to further research in your area.

• Consider using Arizona State University's tutorial for more guidance.

DMPonline

A tool similar to the DMPTool, centered in a European context. Both the DMPTool and DMPonline were developed through a partnership between the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) and the California Digital Library. The tools are "established in our national contexts as the resource for researchers seeking guidance in creating data management plans (DMPs)" (DMPRoadmap).

Here are links to additional guides and DMP websites from other universities and organizations:

• NC State University Libraries Elements of a Data Management Plan
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Research Data Services How to Create a DMP
• Guidelines for Effective Data Management Plans from ICPSR (Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research)

Sometimes it is helpful to review a sample plan, especially if you are new to the process. Below are some examples, but please don't use wording verbatim in your own proposal.

• Sample NIH Plans 
• Sample Public Plans created from the DMPTool
• Example DMPs University of Minnesota
• Sample Data Management Plan for Depositing Data with ICPSR