Writing a Data Management Plan
The Data Management Plan (DMP) describes how research data should be managed throughout the life cycle of the research project, even after the research has been completed. It sets out technical and practical approaches for e.g. data collection, archiving and reuse of research data, while theory, literature review and discipline-specific concepts belong to the research plan. The DMP helps the researcher to anticipate risks in data handling and to consider issues such as data protection and data security. When preparing the plan, consideration is also given to how the data will be used, i.e. which copyright is to be applied. The DMP is a living document that is developed during the course of the project and helps the researchers keep track of their research data and access to it. Most major research funders require the researcher to write a DMP either during the application phase or when signing the grant agreement.
It is an advantage for all projects that research data management is planned in advance and therefore ÅAU requires that all projects have a DMP. Use the DMPTuuli tool to write your DMP unless otherwise recommended by the funder.
Log in to DMPTuuli with the haka login. DMPTuuli includes DMP templates and step-by-step instructions. For example, the Research Council of Finland and many other funders have their own DMP templates that can be selected in the tool. Also select ÅAU's guide for organisation-specific instructions.
Structure of the General Finnish DMP template
1. General description of data
2. Ethical and legal compliance
3. Documentation and metadata
4. Storage and backup during the research project
5. Opening, publishing and archiving the data after the research project
6. Data management responsibilities and resources
Source: DMPTuuli 8/8/2024
DMP guides
- Best Practices for Data Management - CSC
- General Finnish DMP Guidance - Tuuli project
- Data management planning guide by Finnish Social Science Data Archive (FSD)
https://www.fsd.uta.fi/aineistonhallinta/en/data-management-planning.html - Making a research project understandable. Guide for data documentation - Helsinki University Library
- Planning data management - best practices - Research Council of Finland
- Horizon 2020 Data Management Manual
- Horizon Europe Programme Guide (see section 16. Open Science, p. 40-56)
- Improve the quality and impact of your research through data management - A guide for making your data FAIR - AVOTT working group
Check your DMP skills!
Use the evaluation guide A Three Point DMP Performance Criteria to make sure that your DMP includes all the crucial parts of your research project. The guide also provides tips for best practices.
Responsible research and research permission
- Responsible research - TENK & TJNK - Research ethics and science communication in Finland
- Form for research permission [pdf] (4.12.2018)
- for ÅAU affiliated researchers who need to apply for research permission at site of research lacking their own forms (e.g. schools, municipalities)
Tips for designing a DMP
- Keep the DMP concise. For example, the Research Council of Finland recommends a maximum of 3 pages. To avoid repetition, the DMP can refer to the research plan and vice versa.
- You should answer at least the main questions, but you can leave other questions unanswered if they are not relevant to your research. Then justify why the question does not concern your research area.
- Describe the data management concretely and use the active form.
- Demonstrate in the plan that you can identify, anticipate and manage risks related to the data management.