LibGuides: Research Data and Reproducibility: Planning

What is a data management and sharing plan?

A Data Management and Sharing Plan (abbreviated as DMP or DMS Plan) is a brief but essential component of a project and many grant applications. It outlines how you will collect, organize, manage, store, secure, backup, preserve, and share your research data.

In January 2023, all NIH researchers will be required to submit DMS plans. Learn more about the new requirements in our NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy Guide.

What goes in a data management and sharing plan?

Different funding agencies have different requirements for data management and sharing, but in general, they typically describe:

The data collected or generated during the research project
How the data will be documented
How the data will be organized, secured, and stored during the project
How the data will be shared
Where and how the data will be preserved and archived for long-term access
The roles and responsibilities for managing the data

Tools, Templates, and Guides

DMPTool
The DMPTool is a free, online application that helps researchers create data management plans. It provides a click-through wizard for creating a DMP that complies with funder requirements. It also has direct links to funder websites, help text for answering questions, and resources for best practices surrounding data management.

You can now log into this resource via Single Sign On (SSO) with your OHSU network credentials to create projects, write plans, and get feedback from OHSU data librarians.

Using SSO to log into DMPTool
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For first time users:
1. Go to DMPTool
2. Enter your OHSU email (username@ohsu.edu) in the "Sign in /Sign up" box and click "Continue"
3. You should receive a prompt that "Your address is associated with: Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU.edu)"
4. Select "Sign in with Institution SSO" to sign in using your OHSU credentials.
You should now be signed into DMPTool and brought to your dashboard.

For returning users:
1. Go to DMPTool
2. Enter your OHSU email in the "Sign in /Sign up" box and click "Continue"
3/ Select "Sign in with Institution SSO"
You should now be signed into DMPTool and brought to your dashboard.

If you have followed the steps above and you are still unable to login, please click on the "Problems signing in? Contact us" link located under the "Continue" button inside the login area.
DMPTool: Data Management General Guidance
A thorough guide to what should be included in a data management and sharing plan.
DMPTool: Template Collection
A collection of DMP templates based on funder policy requirements, with links to policies and some sample plans.
Ten Simple Rules for Creating a Good Data Management Plan
An article that details the steps to consider when creating a data management plan.
Foundational Practices of Research Data Management
This paper provides an introduction to best practices for managing all types of data.
Data Management Planning from Cornell University's Research Data Management Service Group
A concise overview of the major areas that researchers should consider in preparing a data management plan.
Data Management Plans from Temple University Libraries
This guide uses a series of questions to help you think about what to include in your data management and sharing plan.
Forecasting Costs for Preserving, Archiving, and Promoting Access to Biomedical Data
The goal of this NASEM project is to create and demonstrate a framework for predicting long-term costs for maintaining, archiving, and accessing different forms of biomedical data as well as for calculating potential research rewards in the future.
Researchers can learn how to estimate expenses while making plans for data management and sharing by using slide decks, workbooks, user manuals, checklists, videos, archived webinars, and reports included in this collection.

Examples

Sample DMS Plans from NIH
NIH has published several sample DMS Plans, which provide examples for different research contexts. They are provided for educational purposes and are not intended to be used as templates. Importantly, their use does not guarantee approval by NIH.
LIBER Research Data Management Working Group DMP Catalogue
This catalog provides a central hub for showcasing and reviewing DMPs from different disciplines. It is intended to inspire researchers in the process of writing their own DMPs.
RIO Journal Collection of Public Data Management Plans
This is a curated collection of DMPs created with the DMPTool.
Data Management Plans at Zenodo
Zenodo is an open science repository that hosts a wide variety of digital research artefacts, including data management plans. This link takes you to the Zenodo search results page for "data management plan".
Public DMPs at DMPTool
Public DMPs are plans created using the DMPTool service and shared publicly by their owners. Note: they are not vetted for quality, completeness, or adherence to funder guidelines.
Public DMPs at DMPOnline
A collection of DMPs created with the DMPonline service, a tool that focuses on data management planning requirements for European funding agencies.