James Madison University
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***DMP Tool is now live!! Log in with your JMU e-ID and password and begin crafting plans based on funder requirements. See below for more information***

What is Data Management?

As more data is produced digitally, the preservation and access to those data becomes a challenge. Increasingly, funding agencies are requiring a plan to manage funded data as a measure of accountability and accessibility. This page will help faculty and students create data management plans in order to be in compliance with federal requirements and to help maintain the integrity and accessibility of research data.

NSF Data Management Plan Requirements

Proposals submitted after January 18, 2011, must include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled “Data Management Plan”. This supplementary document should describe how the proposal will conform to NSF policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results. See Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter VI.D.4 for policy on dissemination and sharing. See Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Chapter II.C.2.j for full data management policy implementation.

Each directorate may also have specific guidelines that address unique data management issues within the respective community. The left sidebar provides links to directorate specific information. Be sure to look at the proposal details and main directorate and/or division website for addition guidelines.

Help with Your Data Management Plan

In order to ensure that all NSF proposals coming out of James Madison University meet the data management plan requirements, researchers are encouraged to use the resources on this page for guidance. Additional help is available through your liaison librarian or the Science Librarian.

Using DMP Tool to create your Data Management Plan

JMU is a participating institution with DMP Tool, an online interface to help researchers create a data management plan. Visit https://dmp.cdlib.org/  and click "Get Started" to select James Madison University and start using the tool. Currently, DMP Tool supports templates for over 15 funding agencies. JMU has provided customized "suggested response text" to each template, relating to data storage options on campus. Researchers can then copy and paste the relevant institutional information to their plan. Visit https://dmp.cdlib.org/help/guide for tips on how to use the interface. Any additional questions can be directed to the Science Librarian.

Additional Resources

DataONE Best Practices : Database of best practices relating to all things data, including data management, documentation, quality control, and more.

Data Management Plans: Tips, Tricks, and Tools; UC3 Webinar Series: A comprehensive 49 minute webinar detailing data management tips and tools.

Guidelines for Responsible Data Management in Scientific Research: A data management tool to help science and health science researchers identify the various components of a data management plan.

Open Access Directory of Data Repositories : Listed by discipline.

Databib : An annotated bibliography and registry of research data repositories. Additionally, Databib seeks to utilize Linked Data to build a more functional bibliography with Semantic Web-like capabilities.

University of Virginia Scientific Data Consulting : A comprehensive description of data management, with useful links and templates.

University of Michigan NSF ENG Data Management Plan Template : An illustrative template, created by the University of Michigan Library, providing positive and negative examples of text for each section of the NSF DMP for the Engineering Directorate.

CKAN DataHub : “CKAN is the Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network, a registry of open knowledge datasets and projects (and a few closed ones). CKAN makes it easy to find, share and reuse open content and data, especially in ways that are machine automatable.”

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy - Announcement of the Request for Information on Public Access to Digital Data and Scientific Publications : Further evidence that federally funded projects, regardless of funding agency, may soon have requirements regarding the preservation and public access to data obtained from those funds.

*UPDATED* Click here to see the responses to the RFI on public access to digital data from a myriad of stakeholders, including universities, societies (such as ACS, AAS, and APA), publishers (such as Elsevier), and concerned individuals.

JMU Office of Sponsored Programs : Always helpful resource to reference when submitting a grant application.