Use DMPonline to write your Data Management Plan

A data management plan is a document that describes your plans for creating, organising, documenting, storing and sharing data. It takes into account issues such as data protection and confidentiality, data preservation and curation, and provides a framework that supports researchers and their data throughout the course of their research and beyond.

Research funders are increasingly requiring researchers to meet certain data management criteria, and submit a technical or data management plan as part of their grant application.

To support researchers in writing their data management plans we provide:

• Tailored DMP assistance for Principal Investigators (PIs) submitting research proposals.
• Customised DMPonline for optimal University of Edinburgh use: clear online service provision for those PIs needing a data management plan.

Using DMPonline

A flexible web-based tool to assist users to create personalised plans according to their context or research funder. The tool also provides researchers examples of guidance and best practice via 'crowdsourced' links to Digital Curation Centre's (DCC) resources and external advice.

https://dmponline.ed.ac.uk/

DMPonline also provides DMP templates and guidelines for the following funders:

• Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Cancer Research UK
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• European Commission (Horizon 2020)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• National Science Foundation  (USA)
• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Wellcome Trust
• ZonMw (Nederlands)

In addition to these funder templates the University has also created basic DMP templates within DMPonline that can be used by researchers and research students when their project does not have a formal DMP requirement.

Many funders also provide simple DMP templates which can be downloaded directly from their websites. Detailed guidance on what all the major funders require can be found on the Funder Data Management Requirements web page.

Sample DMPs

DMPonline also contains a number of DMPs which have been made public by their authors, you can use these to get an idea of how to write a DMP for your funder and discipline. Some area available without signing in but most can only be seen once you have signed into your account.

Free training course: 'Writing a Data Management Plan for your Research'

Please visit the Research Data Service's Scheduled workshops page for more information about this course, and to book a place the next time we offer the course.