Data Management & Sharing

Data management is the process of validating, organizing, protecting, maintaining, and processing scientific data. It ensures your data is accessibile, reliabile, and high quality.

Strong data management supports scientific rigor and research integrity. 

Data Management Plans

Many major funding agencies require a data management plan (DMP) with grant applications. These include the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

See the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy and UNE’s Research Data and Research Materials Management, Sharing and Security Policy 

A data management plan supports the sharing of scientific data and:

• Expedites the translation of research.  
• Provides robust public access to research findings
• Aligns with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles
• Enables validation and reproducability of research results
• Provides accessibility to high-value datasets
• Supports data reuse for future research studies.

Sharing your data also benefits you as a researcher. Shared data can generate citations and allow you to track reuse, which increases the visibility and image of your work. You may also discover new collaborators or identify research for future projects.  

Creating your Data Management Plan

A data management plan (DMP) is a short document, typically no more than 2 pages. It outlines what data you will generate, and how you will describe, share and provide access to it.  

Your DMP is a living document. As your research evolves, your plan may change, and you should update your plan to reflect these changes.

Resources for Writing Your Plan 

DMP Tool

Create and manage your data management plan.

• Templates with guidance on plan elements
• Add collaborators, plan research outputs, and get a unique identifier for your plan
• Access publicly available DMPs

Open Science Framework (OSF)

Data management and sharing plan checklist. 

National Institute for Mental Health(NIMH)

Data management and Sharing for Applicants and Awardees. Includes sample plans

NIH Policy Explorer

See which policies apply to your research, the final DMSP policy and the NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy Overview. 

 UNE’s Responsible Conduct of Research Training

UNE recommends that you deposit your data in an established digital archive or repository whenever possible. We offer DUNE:DigitalUNE as our institutional repository. You can use it to retain digital copies of research data and laboratory notebooks. 

Questions & Help 

Please reach out to the Office of Research Integrity with questions about data management or grant requirements.