Research Data, Data Management & Planning: Getting Started

Shortcuts to some frequent requests:

I need a DOI (digital object identifier) for my data!

What even goes in a data management plan?

Where can I find a repository to publish my data?

How do I write a ReadMe?

Do you have any training available for data management tools?

My funder wants me to address FAIR data--what is that?

Research data management is the care and management of data from all stages of the research lifecycle, beginning with idea conception and continuing through proposal writing, generation of results, the publication process, and curation of research data for public access. Managing research data is a complex undertaking that requires thoughtful planning followed by attention to detail throughout the entire research process.  Specifics of implementation will vary by discipline and type of research project. 

Data Lifecycle from the LMA Research Data Management Working Group

The National Science Foundation issued a Dear Colleague Letter on May 20, 2019, that emphasizes use of persistent identifiers for research data and machine-readable Data Management Plans as effective practices.  It also clarifies that expenses to prepare research data for distribution, including data cleaning, data curation, and repository deposit, can be included within grant proposal budgets.