Project Data Management Plan
MCRI's Data Management Coordinator is very keen to receive feedback on the content of the template, including ideas for new sections or for how the guidance might be
improved.
1. This Data Management Plan Document
Brief details of this plan document
Project Title
Plan Version
Plan Date
Plan Author
Related Documents
Specify file name and location of, for example:
 Current version of study protocol
 Current Project Management Master Checklist
Version (CCCH)
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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2. Data Management Plan Scope
What data is this plan covering? What existing data will you use, and what data will your project create or acquire from an external source?
Existing Data
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Local resource:
RCH/MCRI repository/databank, research project
(include Ethics database registration number, if one
exists)
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External resource:
RCH/MCRI repository/databank, research project
Data to be Created
Summarise data sources and collection instruments
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Questionnaires (paper/electronic)
Assessments (paper/electronic)
Standard measures
Multimedia files
Externally sourced data e.g. lab results
Tracking data e.g. recruitment, follow-up, specimen
storage
Result sets
Other Materials
State any other documents or materials that will be
associated with the project data

Code book
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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3. Ownership of Data and Intellectual Property
What is the ownership of the project’s IP? Are any additional requirements specified by owners of externally sourced data?
IP Ownership for this Project
Typically this will be MCRI (see the IP policy)
Considerations for Data Sourced from Outside this
Project
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Specify any boilerplate citation text or co-authorship
credit.
Are there signed agreements with other parties
Are licences required e.g. for use of standard
measures such as PedsQL
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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4. Data Types
What types of data are you collecting. Here “Type” has both a technical sense and also relates to the content of what you are collecting.
Electronic File Formats
What file format will be used for each item from section 2
that will utilise electronic files? Is it possible to use a
“standard” or open format that does not require specific
hardware or software in order to access it? Consider both
 Data files
 Documentation files
1.
For examples of recommended formats see the UK Data
Archive’s Guide to Managing and Sharing Data. A link is
available from the Resources section of the Data
Management Planning intranet page.
Confidentiality and Privacy
Does your project contain data in the following categories?
What measures will you employ to protect the data?
Informed consent for data storage and research use,
confidentiality agreements.
 Personal information (data that could potentially be
used to identify an individual)
 Sensitive information (data on a participant’s the racial
or ethnic origin, religious, political or philosophical
beliefs, sexual preferences, criminal record etc).
 Other culturally sensitive information
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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5. Storage and Backup
Obvious, but important, is considering where to store your data. Highest security, most restricted access is what you aim for, but consider your accessibility requirements:
who needs access to what data and when? There will be different answers to these question for different data/document types/purposes.
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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Storage of Non-Digital Data
E.g. where will you store hard copies of paper
questionnaire
Storage of Electronic Files
Consider the storage and accessibility of both
 Data files
 Documentation files
Is a shared folder on a network file server sufficient? Does
anyone require remote access via VPN or a web-based
doc management system or database?
Backup
What is the backup regimen for the location(s) where digital
data is stored? See details of MCRI/RCH file server
backup regimens at
https://www.mcri.edu.au/research/core-facilities/cebu/datamanagement/managing-data/backup/
Study Database
What software package(s) will be used for processing and
storing study data or for study management? Examples
include:
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EpiData
REDCap
TeleForm
Access
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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6. Access and Security
Think about how access to the different types of data listed in section 2 should be controlled
What data should be restricted
What data do you have that should have access
restrictions placed on it?
 Personal, confidential or sensitive data
 Conditions of use for external data
Who should have access to each type of restricted
data
Not necessarily individuals’ names, but access permissions
by role in project
Specific precautions taken to secure personal or
sensitive data
Specify the precautions taken to comply with your
responsibilities for protecting such data e.g. maintain
personal data in a separate database to questionnaire
response data.
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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7. Organisation and Metadata
Consider and document how your project team will organise your electronic data and documents.
Project network directory structure
List your folders and state their function (if not obvious from
the name!)
File naming conventions
E.g. a format that includes version numbering and/or date
Document version control and managing collaborative
writing
How will document versions be labelled and controlled?
Think about your data files and analysis/cleaning scripts as
well as general project documents
Metadata, metadata standards
The metadata is the documentation of your project
methods, data collection and data preparation as well as a
comprehensive code book. Consider what you should
document and how it can be made available. Can you use
a standard metadata format e.g. DDI?
Data file management procedures
Consider and document how you plan to manage the data
cleaning process from source data through to cleaned data
files ready for analysis.
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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8. Long Term Usage
Plan for the long-term curation of your data. How will it be kept safe and secure after project completion? Can its value be increased by making it available to other
researchers – and how will they find out about it?
Responsibilities
Describe the delegation of responsibilities amongst project
team roles and/or members
Alternatively, provide a reference to your Study Delegation
Log document.
Archival
Guidelines are available from CRDO.
 Where will electronic and non-electronic data be stored
long term?
 What are the retrieval implications (e.g. lead times,
costs)
Retention period
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For how long will be materials be stored?
What should happen at the end of this period
Re-use, Sharing
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Will data be made available to other researchers?
Under what conditions?
Discoverability – How will people know your project
exists and how will they find out more?
Project/metadata registration e.g. ethics office, ANDS
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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9. Budget Impacts
Do any of the items above have cost implications?
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Software licences
Data storage capacity, backup charges
Web hosting, SSL certificate
Database development
If so, how much and how frequently
E.g. Group drive is “free” but may have per-project capacity
limit. Extra MCRI storage is around 3 $/GB/year, invoiced
by ITS to cost-centre.
File Name:
Plan Version:
Plan Version Date:
Plan Author:
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