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Research Data Management (RDM) is an increasingly important skill for researchers across all disciplines and career stages. Most research funders are introducing new requirements around Data Management as part of the application process. Often researchers will be asked to produce a Data Management Plan or be required to share data at the end of a project.

This workshop will provide a practical overview of the major issues in RDM including how to meet funder requirements, how to effectively store data during your project, and making decisions about whether to share research data. As part of the workshop participants will begin to develop their Data Management Plan.

This new regular course will start in September 2018. Booking is open for the following dates, 16 January 14:00-15:30 and 13 February 14:00-15:30.

This new course is part of the support services already provided by the Library RDM team to write Data Management Plans. Online resources will remain available to understand funders’ requirements, see examples of Plans and ask for review.

Research Data Management (RDM) is an increasingly important skill for researchers across all disciplines and career stages.

Research funders are increasingly introducing new requirements around Data Management as part of the application process. Often researchers will be asked to produce a Data Management Plan as part of a funding application or be required to share data at the end of a project.

This workshop will provide a practical overview of the major issues in RDM including how to meet funder requirements, how to effectively store data during your project, and making decisions about whether to share research data. As part of the workshop participants will begin to develop a datamanagement plan.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• identify the main considerations in RDM for their project
• understand how to comply with funder policies
• make more informed decisions about effective data sharing
• produce an effective Data Management Plan

This session will take place on the 2nd of May, 14:00-16:00. Further details and booking available through Organisational Development

From Monday 29^th March 2018, the AHRC will be removing the requirements for Technical Plans and replacing these with a new Data Management Plan requirement. This will be mandatory for all Research Grants, Follow on Funding and Leadership Fellows proposals.

What does this mean for your proposal?

If you are currently in the process of developing a Technical Plan as part of an application you will need to submit it before the requirements change (29th March 2018). After this data all projects will require a Data Management Plan.

How to complete a Data Management Plan?

We have a guidance on our webpage on completing Data Management Plans. UCL’s Research Data Support Officers can review draft Data Management Plans emailed two weeks before submission deadlines. DMPOnline will include templates for the new plan alongside templates for the technical plan during the overlap of the two systems.

You can find further information on the changes from the Digital Curation Centre and on the AHRC website.

Data Management Plans have become a requirement for a growing number of research funders. Knowing what to include in a plan can be a challenge for researchers. DMPOnline is a tool which helps researchers develop Data Management Plans by providing templates alongside guidance for each section of the plan. DMPOnline allows you to share your plan with collaborators, export to a variety of different formats and follow templates for the major funders.

Recently the Research Data Management team in UCL Library Services has developed a customised version of DMPOnline. This customised guidance aims to provide UCL researchers with information on local support, infrastructure and services available at UCL.

You can begin using the UCL customised version of DMPOnline by signing in or creating a new account on DMPOnline and choosing UCL as your organisation.  DMPOnline is easy to use but we have also developed additional instructions. We are still in the process of developing the guidance on DMPOnline, if you have any comments please email lib-researchsupport@ucl.ac.uk.

If you would like further support on developing a plan or would like us to review a draft of the plan please send us an email: lib-researchsupport@ucl.ac.uk. Please try and allow at least two weeks before submission of an application for us to review draft plans.

All Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK grant holders like grant applicants should be aware of the charities’ research data policies. To clarify their requirements, our colleagues at the University of Cambridge have asked them questions related to data management and data sharing.

Their answers are summarised in two useful blog posts:

• a presentation of the charities’ expectations on data sharing;
• answers to questions asked by researchers on access to data, quality control, conditions and costs of sharing, metadata standards and policy implementation.

Some research funders such as the EPSRC require you to include Data Access Statements in your pending publications. The RCUK Policy on Open Access also states that

“All papers must include details of the funding that supported the research and, if applicable, a statement on how the underlying research materials – such as data, samples or models – can be accessed.”

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When developing a project or applying for funding you are likely to need a Data Management Plan. This will help you to identify the various decisions that must be made regarding your data throughout your project.

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Two official documents are here to help UCL researchers and students understand their responsibilities regarding the preservation (or “archiving”) of the data that they produce. Check the definition of research data if you are not sure what is meant by it.

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As of March 2015 ERSC-funded projects have to comply with the council’s updated Research Data Policy.

UCL guidance for ESRC-grant holders and grant applicants is available online and explains how to comply with the Economic and Social Research Council’s new expectations related to the management and accessibility of research data.

As of the 1st of May 2015 projects funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council have to comply with several new expectations related to the management and accessibility of research data.

UCL guidance for EPSRC-funded researchers is available online and explains how to comply with the council’s Research Data policy.