Data management plans
Data management plans
Data management plans
A data management plan (DMP) describes how the research data will be managed throughout the research lifecycle. This includes what research data will be created and/or collected, how it will be managed during the project, and how it will be shared and preserved at the end of the project. It should typically also describe any potential legal or ethical issues that need to be addressed. A DMP is a dynamic document, and should be updated as a project progresses and it should be reviewed regularly as your data needs change.
Data management plans in funding bids
The University’s Open Access Research and Research Data Management Policy states that all research proposals must include a DMP.
Additionally, most research funders require you to complete a DMP as part of the application process, although the format and content of these plans can differ between funders. A number of bids have been rejected on the basis of weak DMPs, so make sure you give yourself enough time to put together a good quality document.
The table below highlights the funder requirements for DMPs at the grant application stage, but some funders, including the Natural Environment Research Council, require more detailed data management plans to be submitted after a project has started.
Funder | Plan requirement | Submit with grant application? | Guidance | Length |
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Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) | Data management plan | Yes | Must cover the topics in the AHRC Funding Guide. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Maximum of 2 A4 pages |
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) | Data management and sharing plan | Yes | Must cover the topics suggested in the BBSRC data sharing policy. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Maximum of 1 A4 page |
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) | Data management and sharing plan | Yes | Must cover the topics suggested in the CRUK data sharing guidelines. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Not stated |
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) | Data management plan | Yes | Must cover the topics suggested by the UK Data Service. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Maximum of 3 A4 pages |
Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) | Not required as part of funding application, but required for all funded projects. | No | Template and guidance available on DMPonline. | Not stated |
Horizon Europe | Data management plan | No | Horizon Europe provide a DMP template. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Not stated |
Medical Research Council (MRC) | Data management plan | Yes | MRC provide a DMP template along with guidance. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Maximum of 4 A4 pages for longitudinal studies, involving a series of data collections. Maximum of 3 A4 pages for all other research. |
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) | Outline data management plan required as part of the funding application. A full data management plan is required for funded projects. |
Yes | NERC provide an outline DMP template and guidance. A full DMP template is also provided. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Maximum of 1 A4 page for the outline DMP |
Science and Technology Facilities Councils (STFC) | Data management plan | Yes | Must cover the topics suggested in the STFC guidelines on DMPs. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Maximum 2 A4 pages |
Wellcome Trust | Outputs management plan | Yes | Wellcome Trust provide guidance on developing an outputs management plan. Template and guidance available on DMPonline. |
Not stated |
Writing a data management plan
DMPonline, developed by the Digital Curation Centre (DCC), is a helpful tool for writing DMPs. DMPonline contains data management plan templates for all of the major research funders, and provides guidance and advice on what to include. DMPonline also has the DCC DMP checklist and example DMPs, illustrating the content and level of detail required. Guidance on using DMPonline can be found in the DMPonline User Guide.
Although each DMP is individual, they should all include the same basic information:
- What data will be created?
- How will the data be documented and described?
- How will you manage ethics and intellectual property rights?
- What are the plans for data sharing?
- What is the strategy for long-term preservation and sustainability?
The Research Data Management team are happy to discuss your DMP with you and to provide feedback and comments on your draft DMP. To help you get started, the table below covers the elements that typically make up a DMP. It contains a list of points that you should think about, along with providing suggestions on possible wording.
Plan element | What to consider | Possible wording |
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Existing data |
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Responsibilities |
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Data storage |
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Data backup |
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Data formats |
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Quality assurance |
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Sharing data |
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Personal, sensitive, and commercial data |
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Copyright and intellectual property rights |
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Support documentation and metadata |
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Archiving data |
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