NSF Data Management Plan (DMP) Guide: Using DMPTool and Templates

Why We Suggest Using DMPTool

DMPTool is developed by California Digital Library to help researchers prepare DMPs for specific funding agencies, including NSF. Virginia Tech is a participating institution and anyone from the Virginia Tech research community can create an account on the DMPTool site. When you are asked to 'select your institution', choose Virginia Tech and you will be directed to VT's log in page. We enrouage VT researchers to use DMPTool for the following benefits:

  • DMPTool provides instructions that help you fulfill the data management requirements of your grant.
  • DMPTool's review function enables librarians to effectively provide data management consultation services.
  • DMP templates available via DMPTool are customized for Virginia Tech researchers.

NSF guidelines on the appropriate content for your data management plan vary depending on which program you are applying to (i.e., Directorate, Office, Division, Program, or other NSF unit). If no specific guidance is available, general requirements apply and using a generic template is recommended. Including a generic template, a dozen different NSF DMP templates are available through DMPTool as you see below.

Recommended DMP Structure

Generic

  1. Types of data produced
  2. Data and metadata standards
  3. Policies for access and sharing
  4. Policies for re-use, redistribution
  5. Plans for archiving and preservation 

Astronomical Sciences

  1. Products of research
  2. Data format
  3. Access to data and data sharing practices and policies
  4. Policies for re-use, re-distribution and production of derivatives
  5. Archiving of data

Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences

  1. Products of research
  2. Data format
  3. Access to data and data sharing practices and policies
  4. Policies for re-use, re-distribution and production of derivatives
  5. Archiving of data
  6. Cost of implementing the DMP     

Biological Sciences (2013- )

  1. Data collected, formats and standards
  2. Data storage and preservation
  3. Dissemination methods
  4. Policies for data sharing and public access
  5. Roles and responsibilities

Chemistry

  1. Products of research
  2. Data format
  3. Access to data and data sharing practices and policies
  4. Policies for re-use, re-distribution and production of derivatives
  5. Archiving of data

Computer and Information Science and Engineering

  1. Types of data
  2. Data and metadata standards
  3. Data storage
  4. Policies for access and sharing, and provisions for appropriate protection/privacy
  5. Policies and provisions for re-use, re-distribution
  6. Plans for archiving and preservation
  7. Roles and responsibilities

Earth Sciences

  1. Types of data produced
  2. Data and metadata standards
  3. Policies for access and sharing, and provisions for appropriate protection/privacy
  4. Policies and provisions for re-use, re-distribution
  5. Plans for archiving and preservation

Engineering

  1. Roles and responsibilities
  2. Expected data
  3. Period of data retention
  4. Data formats and metadata
  5. Data dissemination and policies for public access, sharing and publication delays
  6. Data storage and preservation of access

Materials Research

  1. Types of data produced
  2. Data and metadata standards
  3. Policies for access and sharing, and provisions for appropriate protection/privacy
  4. Policies and provisions for re-use, re-distribution
  5. Plans for archiving and preservation

Physics

  1. Types of data produced
  2. Data and metadata standards
  3. Policies for access and sharing, and provisions for appropriate protection/privacy
  4. Policies and provisions for re-use, re-distribution
  5. Plans for archiving and preservation

Education and Human Resources

  1. Data generated by the project
  2. Period of data retention
  3. Data format and dissemination
  4. Data storage and preservation of access
  5. Additional possible data management requirements

Social, Behavioral, Economic Sciences

  1. Roles and responsibilities
  2. Expected data
  3. Period of data retention
  4. Data format and dissemination
  5. Data storage and preservation of access
  6. Additional possible data management requirements
https://guides.lib.vt.edu/NSF-DMP/templates
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