NSF DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN TEMPLATE
(Actual document is limited to 2 pages – address ONLY items applicable to your project)
1. Types of Data
(This section provides a summary of the samples, physical collections, software, curriculum materials
and other materials to be produced in the course of the project.)
a. Provide a short description of the data that will be generated in the research. The description
should include amount (if known) and the content of the data.
b. Provide a description of the data types that will be created or captured, such as experimental
measures, observational or qualitative, model simulation, processed, etc.
c. Describe how the data will be captured or created.
d. If existing data will be used, state that fact and include where you obtained that data from.
Describe the relationship between the data to be collected and the existing data.
2. Data and Metadata Standards
(This section provides standards to be used for data and metadata format and content. Where existing
standards are absent or deemed inadequate, this should be documented along with any proposed
solutions or remedies.)
a. Describe the file formats to be used for the data and the reason(s) for using the particular formats.
b. Identify the contextual details (metadata) that are needed to make the data, to be captured or
collect, meaningful.
c. Describe how these details be created and captured.
d. Identify the form that the metadata will take.
e. List the metadata standards to be used.
f.
Explain why the particular standards and approaches for metadata and contextual documentation
are used, i.e., resource to staff expertise, Open Source, accepted domain-local standards,
widespread range, etc.
3. Methods and Policies for Providing Access and Enabling Sharing
(This section provides details on specific mechanisms that will be utilized to provide the requisite level of
access and sharing of the specific type of data, as well as the Disaster Recovery Plan referring to the
storage services used for the project.)
a. Describe how the data will become available, i.e., resources needed:
expertise, etc.
equipment, systems,
b. Define when the data will become available.
c. Describe the process for gaining access to the data.
d. Address whether the access will be chargeable.
e. Address if the original data collector / creator / principal investigator will retain the right to use
the data before opening it up to wide use.
4. Provisions for Appropriate Protection of Privacy, Confidentiality, Security, Intellectual
Property or Other Rights or Requirements (IF APPLICABLE)
(This section describes provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality, security,
intellectual property, or any other applicable rights or requirements.)
a. Identify the ethical and/or privacy issues related to the data of this project.
b. If so, provide discussion on how these issues will be resolved. For example, IRB approvals,
institutional ethical committees, formal consent agreements, etc.
c. Describe how the obligations to the IRB protocol will be met.
d. Address if the dataset is covered by copyright. If so, identify who owns the copyright and other
intellectual property.
e. Explain how the dataset will be licensed if rights do exist, i.e., any restrictions or delays on data
sharing needed to protect intellectual property, copyright or patentable data.
5. Policies and Provisions for Re-Use, Re-Distribution
(This section identifies any potential limitations on the ability to re-use or re-distribute the data or
materials.)
a. Identify any permission restrictions that may need to be placed on the data.
b. Identify the groups or individuals that would most likely be interested in the data.
c. Address any reasons why that data could not be shared or re-used (such as ethical, non disclosure,
etc.)
6. Plans for Archiving and Preservation of Access
(This section identifies the means by which the data and materials will be stored to enable future access
and sharing.)
a. Describe the long term strategy for maintaining, curating and archiving the data.
b. Identify the location where the data will be deposited (computer, hard files, etc.)
c. Identify the transformations (if necessary) that will be necessary to prepare the data for
preservation and/or data sharing (i.e., data cleaning / anonymisation where appropriate).
d. Describe the megadata / documentation that will be submitted alongside the data ore created on
deposit/transformation, in order to make the data reusable.
e. List the related information to be deposited (i.e., references, reports, research papers, etc.)
f.
Identify the period of time that the data will be archived for beyond the life of the project.