Research Data Management

Increasingly, funding agencies require data management plans as part of funding proposals. Planning is critical to organize, document and backup your data. Although it can be daunting, good data management benefits researchers:

• Meet funding agency requirements
• Increase the impact and visibility of your research.
• Ensure that your data will be accessible and usable in the future, by you and by others.

A data management plan (DMP) describes how you will collect, document, store and share your data. Your plan may follow a similar outline to the one described below.  DMP Assistant is an all-purpose tool that helps you write your plan while providing suggestions and best practices to guide you through the process.

• Data Collection:
  • The type and volume of data you will collect, the file formats and software you will use.
• Data Documentation:
  • How will you describe and structure the data to make it 'independently understandable'?
  • Describe any standard terminology, directory and file naming conventions used (Metadata standards & schemas)
• Storage and Backup:
  • Strategies and solutions for keeping your data secure, such as following the 3:2:1 Rule (3 copies in 2 different formats, with at least 1 copy in an off-site location).
  • How much storage will the project require, and how will researchers securely access and work with the data.
• Preservation:
  • Where will the data be deposited for long-term preservation and access (for example, UVic Dataverse)
• Sharing & Re-Use:
  • What data will you share, and in what form. How will you notify others that your data exists?
• Responsibilities & Resources:
  • Who will be responsible for the management of the data, and how will those responsibilities be delegated.
  • Do you have sufficient funding and resources to implement your plan, ensuring secure and effective use of your data.
• Ethics and Legal Compliance:
  • How will you protect sensitive data, if applicable?
  • What strategies do you have for the secondary use of sensitive data, if applicable?

DMP Assistant can help you create an effective data management plan.