Successful management and protection of information and data are critical to the administrative, clinical, educational, and research functions of Radford University. The sharing of research data at the preliminary phase of the proposed research project, as well as the sharing of collected research data after publication or with the sponsor, are situations that require effective data management planning.
A Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) is a written document that outlines how data collected during a research project will be organized, stored, preserved, and shared. The primary goal of a DMSP is to ensure that data is accessible, reusable, and well-documented for future use by other researchers or stakeholders.
All competing grant or contract proposals, including renewals, to the NIH that generate scientific data must now include a DMSP as a part of the grant application. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as well as private foundations and philanthropists also require a DMSP.
The DMSP includes the following six elements:
Radford University offers training for all faculty and student researchers in the Understanding and Planning for Data Management in Social, Behavioral, and Educational (SBE) Research module, offered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) courses on OneCampus
Most colleges and universities use the DMPTool, which is a free, open-source application developed by the University of California. DMPTool offers requirements for various funders and electronically guides the researcher through specific funders’ data management requirements. It also includes sample plans and templates for preparing your own DMSP. It is utilized by many universities across the nation to aid researchers in writing a successful plan.
Key Resources for Writing a DMSP:
NIH Data Sharing Plan - Effective from January 2023, the NIH requires all competing grant proposals to include a DMSP. The policy mandates data sharing for at least three years after the end of the award.
NSF Data Management Plan Guidelines - The NSF also requires a DMSP for grant proposals, which should detail how data will be managed and shared.
The NIH offers an overview on how to select a data repository, including how to evaluate and select appropriate data repositories. Before selecting a data repository, the investigator should carefully review the NIH guide to Selecting a Data Repository.
Be aware that NIH frequently requires the investigator to use a specific data repository! For a list of NIH-supported repositories, visit Repositories for Sharing Scientific Data.
Also, some professions require the use of a specific repository. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to research the requirements for their respective discipline.
If a specific data repository is not required, the NIH describes desirable characteristics for all data repositories and offers generalist repositories which are not subject specific.
Other General Open Repositories:
When creating a budget for a project, the costs associated with data management and sharing must be included. Allowable costs might include:
Costs not allowed include infrastructure costs and routine research costs, such as the actual collection of data.