A Research Data Management Plan (DMP) is a document that describes how data generated or used in a research project will be managed throughout the project's lifecycle. Preparing a Research Data Management Plan is often a formal requirement from funding bodies (e.g., Horizon Europe). It allows for the identification of atechnical, legal, and ethical issues from the very beginning of the research project and helps comply with the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Research Integrity regarding data management. Typically, a DMP includes, for example, a description of the data, the data collection method, data format and structure, guidance on repository usage and licenses, data management costs, the person responsible for data management, and so on.
Research data is an institutional asset and a common good, and its management—in the short, medium, and long term—raises numerous scientific, ethical, and legal questions.
Proper management:
- Ensures compliance with regulations, as well as funder and scientific publisher requirements;
- Guarantees the authenticity, integrity, reliability, and usability of data;
- Facilitates data reproducibility, sharing, and reuse;
- Finally, it makes research work and results more visible and contributes to achieving higher research quality standards.
To learn more:
OPEN-SCIENCE.IT (2020). Gestire i dati, un compito fondamentale per se stessi e per gli altri. Come il Research Data Management può salvarti la vita.