
Writing a data management plan: how do I start?
Here are some tips to get you started with a data management plan:
- Gain an understanding of data management terminology and issues.
- Gain an understanding of your project.
- Check if your group of School, Institute or Research Centre has got a data management plan that you can have a look at.
- Talk to your supervisor or PI, fellow students or colleagues, post graduate research coordinator, IT Officer, and library staff to find out about data authorship, IP, licensing, storage and backup facilities, University policies.
- Use the research data planning checklist provided in this unit to start with.
- Use the data management plan headings provided in this unit to develop your own data management plan. Don't worry about filling in all the sections. Focus on what is important to you or your research area. Leave the sections blank if you don't have any information now - you can add them later.
- Keep it practical and simple, don't spend too much time.
- Don't hesitate to ask for help when you need one!
Important! A data management plan is a live document and never finished! Review it regularly through the course of your research.