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Research Data Management

This guide is designed to help you navigating research data management, tools, planning, and sharing.

Funding Related Resources

Data Management and Sharing Timeline

 timeline of data management and sharing milestones

Funders may have slightly different guidelines.

Below you will find some of those guidelines.

The Data Management Plan (DMP) Tool offers a quick and easy approach to creaDMPTool logoting a data management plan.

DMPTool will help researchers:

  • Create ready-to-use data management plans for specific funding agencies

  • Meet requirements for data management plans

  • Get step-by-step instructions and guidance for data management plan

WashU provides boiler-plate language linked in the DMPTool that researchers can copy and paste into their plan to customize for their projects.

Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing. Notice Number: NOT-OD-21-013

Release Date: October 29, 2020. Effective Date: January 25, 2023

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is issuing this final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS Policy) to promote the management and sharing of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted research. This Policy

The policy:

  • establishes he requirements of submission of Data Management and Sharing Plans (hereinafter Plans) and compliance with NIH Institute, Center, or Office (ICO)-approved Plans.
  • emphasizes the importance of good data management practices and establishes the expectation for maximizing the appropriate sharing of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted research, with justified limitations or exceptions.

This Policy applies to research funded or conducted by NIH that results in the generation of scientific data.

What should I include in my NIH DMS plan:​

  • Element 1: Data Type​ (describe the data collected, the data to share, the documentation of methods, and metadata)

  • Element 2: Related Tools, Software and/or Code​ (any specialized tools or software should be shared; if possible)

  • Element 3: Standards​ (use community standards for data and metadata (e.g., Datacite)

  • Element 4: Data Preservation, Access, and Associated Timelines​ (where it will be shared, how it will be found, when will it be shared, how long will it be retained)

  • Element 5: Access, Distribution, or Reuse Considerations​ (licenses and documentation such as codebooks, data dictionaries, etc.)

  • Element 6: Oversight of Data Management and Sharing​ (roles and responsibilities)

Data Repositories