Data Management Planning for Researchers at
NC State

• Data Management Planning Tool (DMPTool) Now Available!
• What is a Data Management Plan (DMP)?
• How do you write a DMP?
• NSF Data Management Plan Requirements
• Who can you contact if you need help or have questions?

We are proud to offer the DMPTool as a resource for the NCSU research community. Developed by the California Digital Library and a group of major research institutions, the DMPTool is designed to help researchers:

• Create ready-to-use data management plans for specific funding agencies
• Get step-by-step instructions and guidance for data management plans
• Learn about resources and services available at their home institution to fulfill the data management requirements of their grants

To access the DMPTool, visit https://dmp.cdlib.org/institutional_login and choose the "North Carolina State University" from the pull-down menu. From there you can log in with your Unity ID and password.

A data management plan is a formal document that outlines what you will do with your data during and after you complete your research. It describes the data that will be created, the standards used to describe the data (metadata), who owns the data, who can access the data, how long the data will be preserved (and/or made accessible), and what facilities and equipment will be necessary to disseminate, share, and/or preserve the data.

• For the NSF, the DMP is considered "an integral part of the proposal, coming under Intellectual Merit or Broader Impacts or both, as appropriate for the scientific community of relevance."
• In some cases, a valid DMP may include a statement that no detailed plan is needed, as long as the statement is accompanied by clear justification.

A Data Management Plan consists of many elements describing the preservation, sharing, and access for your data. For a breakdown of the primary elements to include in your data management plan, see:

• Elements of a Data Management Plan
• Examples of Data Management Plans

As of January 18, 2011, all researchers submitting proposals for National Science Foundation grants are required to submit data management plans (no more than 2 pages) with their proposals.

The NSF Data Management Plan (DMP) requirements specify the following:

• Include a supplementary document of no more than 2 pages labeled "Data Management Plan" (exceptions are allowed for proposers who need more than 2 pages to document their DMP - in this case, use the 15-page Project Description for additional information related to the DMP).
• The DMP should describe how the proposal will conform to NSF's policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results.
• When specific NSF Directorates have explicit guidelines on preparing DMPs, those guidelines should be followed. Otherwise, the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (Chapter II. C. 2. j) should be followed.
• Costs associated with data management are allowable and should be included in the budget with budget justification submitted to the NSF.
• See Elements of a Data Management Plan for suggestions and tips.

NCSU's Sponsored Programs and Regulatory Compliance Services (SPARCS), working with the NCSU Libraries and NCSU's Office of Information Technology (OIT) Shared Services group, is providing consultation for data management and discovery for research data associated with requirements of grant funding agencies.

For more information about complying with grant funding requirements, contact:

• Matt Ronning
  Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Administration & Director, Sponsored Programs and Regulatory Compliance Services (SPARCS)
  matt_ronning@ncsu.edu

For more information about data storage options at NCSU contact:

• Eric Sills
  Director of Shared Services, NCSU Office of Information Technology
  eric_sills@ncsu.edu

For more information about copyright and intellectual property regarding your data and publications, contact:

• Will Cross
  Director, Copyright & Digital Scholarship Center, NCSU Libraries
  william_cross@ncsu.edu

For other questions, contact library_datamanagement@ncsu.edu.

Content on this page is adapted from the NSF Data Sharing Policy, Data Management & Sharing FAQ, University of Virginia.