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Writer's pictureSamy Strola

The importance of the Data Management Plan for your projects

Updated: Nov 3, 2021

INTRO

Funding agencies now require consortia to provide a #DataManagementPlan (#DMP) as part of their funding proposals.


A DMP is complying with funding mandate and helps you:

  • increase impact and visibility of your research through data citation

  • document and provide evidence of published results within your research

  • meet ethical requirements

  • preserve and safeguard data for the long-term

  • share your data with others, benefiting interdisciplinary research

In general terms, your research data should be 'FAIR', that is findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable. #FAIR


WHAT IS DATA

Data are a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn.


They can take many forms/formats:

  • Text (e.g. doc, txt, pdf)

  • Numerical (e.g. STATA, .xls, MySQL)

  • Multimedia (e.g. audio and video files)

  • Models (e.g. 3D model, statistical)

  • Programming languages (e.g. Python, C++)

  • Domain- or instrument-specific (e.g. Spectroscopy, Microscope Data, ...)

  • Software-specific

  • Reports, surveys, patient records


TYPE OF DATA

DMP typically provide a short description of the data, including amount and content, even of a sensitive nature.


Consider these questions:

  • What data will be generated in the research?

  • What data types will you be creating or capturing?

  • Who will be responsible for managing the data?

  • How will you capture or create the data?

  • How will be using existing data?

  • What is the relationship between the data you are collecting and the existing data?


POINTS TO ADDRESS IN A DMP

  • What form and format is the data in?

  • What is the expected lifespan of the data?

  • How can the data be used, reused, and repurposed?

  • How large is the data (i.e. filesize)?

  • Who are the potential audiences for the data?

  • Who owns the data?

  • Does the data include sensitive information?

  • How should the data be made accessible?


SHARING YOUR DATA

There are many ways you can share your data:

  • Deposit in a data repository or archive (e.g. Zenodo, OpenAIRE)

  • Deposit to a dedicated digital ad-hoc repository

  • Post online via a project or institutional web site

  • Submit data to journal

  • Cite your data in your work in order others can find it


USEFUL LINKS


NEED HELP?

At Strola Consulting, we developed a ready-to-use template for creating your DMP within H2020 and Horizon Europe funding programme.

--> Feel free to contact us if you are interested.

Benefits of research data management - From https://research.csc.fi/


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