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FAQ
FAQ
- What constitutes "data" covered by a Data Management Plan?
- Is a plan for Data Management required if my project is not expected to generate data or samples?
- Am I required to deposit my data in a public database?
- Does data management and access include supporting documentation and metadata, such as validation protocols, field notebooks, etc.?
- How long should data be archived and made accessible?
- Does data management and sharing mean that I must make my data available immediately, even before publication?
- How does data management relate to the issue of open access publishing?
1. What constitutes "data" covered by a Data Management Plan?
What constitutes such data will be determined by the community of interest through the process of peer review and program management. This may include, but is not limited to: data, publications, samples, physical collections, software and models.
2. Is a plan for Data Management required if my project is not expected to generate data or samples?
Yes. It is acceptable to state in the Data Management Plan that the project is not anticipated to generate data or samples that require management and/or sharing. Principle Investigators (PIs) should note that the statement will be subject to peer review.
3. Am I required to deposit my data in a public database?
What constitutes reasonable data management and access will be determined by the community of interest through the process of peer review and program management. In many cases, these standards already exist, but are likely to evolve as new technologies and resources become available.
4. Does data management and access include supporting documentation and metadata, such as validation protocols, field notebooks, etc.?
All researchers are expected to be able to explain and defend their results. Doing so usually entails maintaining complete records of how data were collected. The manner in which one maintains such records and makes them available to others will vary from project to project. What constitutes reasonable procedures will be determined by the community of interest through the process of peer review and program management. These standards are likely to evolve as new technologies and resources become available.
5. How long should data be archived and made accessible?
What constitutes reasonable procedures will be determined by the community of interest through the process of peer review and program management.
6. Does data management and sharing mean that I must make my data available immediately, even before publication?
Not necessarily. The expectation is that all data will be made available after a reasonable length of time. However, what constitutes a reasonable length of time will be determined by the community of interest through the process of peer review and program management.
7. How does data management relate to the issue of open access publishing?
Open access publishing (making all published articles freely available) is a separate issue that is not addressed in the implementation of the data management plan requirement.
