Top 10 Checklist
If your funder requires you to write a data managment plan (DMP), follow that funder's current advice. If your funder has no specific requirements or your research is unfunded, this checklist is for you.
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- How much data will be generated?
- Where will they be stored and backed up securely?
- How much will this cost?
- What types or formats
- Who will own the rights to that data?
- Will any existing data sets from other providers need to be used during the project?
- Do they have licensing terms or provisions?
- Are there any specific data management roles and responsibilities in addition to those outlined by relevant policies?
- Is there a need for specialist software or services to generate, manage or visualise the data?
- How will you name your files and describe your data so you and others can easily locate/re-use the data?
- Is there a discipline/community standard?
- How will the other collaborators (including external partners) use the data during the course of the project and for what purpose?
- What access will they need and how will this be facilitated, with secure access/data transfer where required?
- Which data need to be stored in the short term?
- Which are identified as significant, with reference to relevant policies, and are to be stored in the longer term to meet any retention requirements?
- If this is not definitive at the start, how will this be decided during the course of the project?
- What is the best archive format for long term use?
- Where are significant data best archived?
- Will the data be published or made available?
- Who will use the data and will they need additional information to re-use the data effectively?
- Are there any funder requirements to share data?
- Will any of the data be confidential or should it be kept confidential initially e.g. because of commercial application or ethical considerations?
- Will you need written consent from any participants to share/re-use the data beyond the project?
- Will you need to obtain permission to publish re-used data?
A more detailed checklist is available from the Digital Curation Centre DMP checklist
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