Data management planning

A Data Management Plan (DMP) describes the data you will collect during your research and how it will be managed, both during and after the project.

Creating a DMP at the start of your research will help you organise your data, keeping it safe and ensuring access to those who need it. It can also highlight data management issues that may arise over the course of the project.

To write your DMP, it is recommended that you use DMPonline Sheffield, a resource containing funder and University templates, detailed guidance to help you, and the option to request feedback on your plan from the Library team.

Data Management Plans are required as part of the University’s Research Data Management Policy. DMPs are also required by most research funders.

All postgraduate research students are required to submit a DMP as part of their confirmation review and maintain this plan over the course of their research.

It is also recommended that DMPs are included in any ethics applications to help reviewers understand what steps are being taken to protect sensitive research data, for more information about this please see University ethics applications guidance.

Templates, examples and further resources

The Library has created a practical guide to using DMPonline and specific guidance to support supervisors.

The Digital Curation Centre also provides a detailed guide to creating DMPs and examples of completed plans.

For guidance on data management planning for masters projects, please see Research data management for postgraduate taught masters students

For further information, please contact rdm@sheffield.ac.uk