A Data Management Plan (DMP) is a document that describes how you will handle your data during the course of your research and how you plan to disseminate your data at the conclusion of your study or project. It may also be called a Data Management & Sharing Plan (DMS Plan) or a Data Sharing Plan (DSP).
Many funding agencies require data management or data sharing plans to be submitted with new grant applications. Each funding agency has specific requirements, so it is important to check the guidelines for your specific grant.
In addition to meeting funder requirements, many data management issues can be handled easily or avoided entirely by planning ahead. A good DMP will:
The templates below provide a framework for writing a data management plan. They are generic plans, not connected to a specific funder. Please see the additional links on the left to navigate to resources for writing a DMP for a specific funder. The templates are also available in DMPTool:
Although DMP requirements vary by funding agency, your plan will typically need to address the following topics:
For a more comprehensive list of items that could be included in a data management plan, visit:
Many journals now require a data sharing statement or data availability statement to accompany a publication. This is different than a data management or sharing plan which a funder might require when applying for a grant, prior to beginning a research project. The purpose of this requirement is to facilitate transparency in the scientific process at the point of publication, connecting a manuscript with the data that supports its conclusions. A data sharing statement should include the following information:
OR
For more information about data sharing, please see the Share Data page on this guide.