Data Management Plans
Data Services Librarian and Department Coordinator
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Data Management Plans (DMPs)
A Data Management Plan (DMP) or Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) details how data will be collected, processed, analyzed, described, preserved, and shared during the course of a research project. A data management plan that is associated with a research study must include comprehensive information about the data such as the types of data produced, the metadata standards used, the policies for access and sharing, and the plans for archiving and preserving data so that it is accessible over time. Data management plans ensure that data will be properly documented and available for use by other researchers in the future.
Data management plans are required by most funders, including major US Federal funding agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOD, DOE, and NEH. Federal mandates require data sharing and public access to research results. Many private funders also request a plan for managing and sharing research data. A DMP should be a "living document" that guides your research and is updated over time as your work changes.
The Libraries' Data Services team provides consults on topics related to your data management plan. We can recommend a repository or help locate data storage options, answer questions about policies and procedures, help craft a data management plan for your project or lab, or review and provide feedback on your DMP.
Email librarydataservices@umass.edu to learn more!
Service Guidelines for Reviewing Data Management Plans
We request two weeks notice ahead of your submission deadline to the Office of Pre-Award Services (OPAS) for full consideration. We will do our best to meet your needs if you request feedback sooner than the two-week period.
Feedback and suggestions are provided, but we will not write or edit your plan for you.
Feedback and review of data management plans is informational only and does not imply that following the recommendations will guarantee receiving grant awards.
