What is a research data management plan?

A research data management plan is a document that describes:

• The types of data you will create or use
• How you will store the data and who will have access to it
• How you will back-up the data and preserve it for future use
• The conditions under which you may share or publish your data and/or allow its reuse by others
• How you will manage protection of intellectual property and ownership of the data
• The policies (i.e. fundings, institutional, ethical, and legal) which apply to the data
• The facilities and equipment needed to undertake the research (e.g. physical/digital storage space, software programs etc.)
• Copyright and licensing considerations
• Who will be responsible for each of these activities, including contingencies for the data owner or principal investigator leaving the University.

The best time to develop your data management plan is at the beginning of your research. Time invested in creating a robust data management framework early in your research will reward you enormously over the duration of your project.

See the ANDS website for further details and examples of data management plans.