Data Management
Consult with your liaison for assistance with developing a data management plan, or in locating, describing, storing, or sharing data. Following best practices in research data management can help you, your lab, or center secure grant funding and create data output that becomes part of the scholarly record. The FAIR Data Principles provide a guideline for facilitating Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Re-usability.
Given the importance of managing data, many funding agencies are requiring that plans for managing data be submitted with grant applications. An effective plan to collect, share, reproduce and preserve data may increase the impact of your research.
Image from the University of Maryland Health Sciences and Human Services Library's Research Data Management Services guide.
Data Best Practices
- University of Washington Preferred File FormatsDesignates which file formats are best for preservation
- Dryad Frequently Asked QuestionsFormatting and submission questions for a data repository
Data Management Requirements
- NIH Grant Data Sharing RequirementsNIH grants above $500k require sharing of final research data.
- NSF Grant Data Management Plan GuidelinesNSF grants require Data Management Plans.
- PNAS Materials and Data Availability RequirementsSome journals, such as PNAS, require data to be made available with a research publication.
- Sharing Publication-Related Data and Materials: Responsibilities of Authorship in the Life Sciences2003 National Research Council publication recommends data sharing.
Data Management Plans
- DMPToolEasy-to-use DMP templates.
- ICPSR DMP FrameworkGuidelines and examples for creating a DMP.
- MIT Libraries DMP QuestionsQuestions to ask when writing a DMP.
- University of Leeds DMP GuidelinesGuidelines and best practices for writing a DMP and managing data.
- DataONE Example DMPsSample DMPs meeting NSF requirements.
- DART Project DMP RubricRubric for assessing your DMP (particularly for NSF proposals).