Toward a Better Data Management Plan: The Impact of DMPs on Grant Funded Research Practices

Data Management Plans (DMPs) are often required for grant applications. But do strong DMPs lead to better data management and sharing practices? Several recent research projects in the Library and Information Science field have investigated data management planning and practice through DMP content analysis and data-management-related interviews. However, research hasn’t yet shown how DMPs ultimately affect data management and data sharing practices during grant-funded research. The research described in this article contributes to the existing literature by examining the impact of DMPs on grant awards and on Principal Investigators’ (PIs) data management and sharing practices. The results of this research suggest the following key takeaways: (1) Most PIs practice internal data management in order to prevent data loss, to facilitate sharing within the research team, and to seamlessly continue their research during personnel turnover; (2) PIs still have room to grow in understanding specialized concepts such as metadata and policies for use and reuse; (3) PIs may need guidance on practices that facilitate FAIR data, such as using metadata standards, assigning licenses to their data, and publishing in data repositories. Ultimately, the results of this research can inform academic library services and support stronger, more actionable DMPs.