Research Data Management

What is a DMP?

A Data Management Plan or DMP is a formal document detailing the strategies and tools you will use to manage your research data and/or other research materials through each stage of your project from proposal to publication and beyond. Your DMP should include details on: 

• data collection and analysis
• describing your data with metadata and documentation
• storage, backup, and general management of your data
• preservation and archiving
• sharing and reuse
• your responsibilities for your data and their reuse
• ethical and legal compliance

Your DMP should be a "living" document that you review, modify, and update throughout your project to accurately reflect your data management strategy.

Sources:
Portage Network. (2020, August 25). Primer - Data Management Plan. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4495631
Portage Network. (2020). Brief Guide - Create an Effective Data Management Plan. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4004957

Portage, a CARL initiative for data stewardship in Canada, provides a simple walk through Data Management Plan tool: DMP Assistant

1. a) Sign up and indicate your primary research institution. The University of Winnipeg is provided as an option. 
   OR
   b) Select the DMP Templates tab at the top to download templates as Word or PDF files
2. Select a template. DMP Assistant offers disicipline specific templates (ex. Template for Qualitative Health Sciences Research). You may also choose the Generic Portage Template. 
3. Answer the questions: You will have to answer important questions about your research process. Not all questions will apply to all research.
4. Revise as needed. Guidance and examples are provided. You are encouraged to revisit the tool throughout your research process.
5. Export and print. The assistant can export in a variety of formats, for inclusion in your funding application.

Portage Network has created several Data Management Plan Templates for a variety of different data types, including (links to download PDFs):

• Advanced Research Computing
• Arts-Based Research
• CRDCN Template for Accessing Data from Research Data Centres
• CRDCN Template for Research Data Centres and External Analysis
• History and the Humanities
• Interdisciplinary Health Software/Technology Development
• Mixed Methods (Surveys & Qualitative Research)
• Neuroimaging in the Neurosciences
• Open Science Workflows
• Qualitative Health Sciences Research
• Studying Molecular Interactions
• Systematic Reviews
• Water Quality Research

How to create a DMP using one of these templates in the DMP Assistant:

1. Sign in or Create an Account
   • To Create an Account, provide your name, email, organization (University of Winnipeg), create a password, and accept the terms and conditions 
2. Select Create Plan
3. Give your DMP a project title
4. Select University of Winnipeg as your primary research organisation
5. Choose a DMP template from the new drop-down list
6. Select Create Plan

DMP Exemplars

The following DMP Exemplars are available in the Digital Research Alliance of Canada's Training Resources. Please check the list for more examples.

Digital Humanities

• Data Management Plan for Belgians and French in the Prairies
• Data Management Plan: Soundscape Study
• Data Management Plan for Women’s Print History Project (1750-1830)

Digital Humanities and Secondary Data

• Data Management Plan for Historical Canadian Census Data

Natural Sciences

• Data Management Plan for Ecohydrology Research Group
• Data Management Plan for Computational reproducibility in High-Performance Computing (HPC)

Social Sciences

• Data Management Plan for People, Places, Policies and Prospects: Affordable Rental Housing for Those in Greatest Need
• Data Management Plan for Usage of Academic Profile Websites

Mixed Methods

• Data Management Plan for Mixed Methods Fictional Exemplar