InfoGuides: Research Data Management Basics: Write Data Management Plans

Need help writing a data management plan to submit with a grant proposal?

Data & Digital Scholarship Services (DDSS) helps George Mason faculty, staff, and students manage and publish data they produce. We can answer questions about and guide you through the process of writing your data management plan. If you would like feedback or help with your plan, request help at least two weeks in advance of any due dates.

The DMPTool helps you to create ready-to-use data management plans to meet funder and institutional requirements.
- When you connect to the DMPTool, you can login using your Mason username and password.
Remember to check the funder and grant solicitation for any additional requirements.
Use the DMPTool Quick Start Guide to get started.

Additional Information

Data Sharing Requirements by Federal Agency (SPARC)
Funding agency Data Management Plan Requirements. This list links to detailed guidelines from each funder and includes US Federal Agency requirements as well as other funding organizations.
Data management handbooks, guides, and information on managing lab notebooks.
Information about archiving your final research results (data, publications, etc.) through the Mason Archival Repository Service.

Questions? Contact us for help.

NIH Data Management and Sharing Plans (DMSP)

NIH Scientific Data Sharing Website

NIH Data Management & Sharing Plan Policy
NIH Public Access Policy
- Effective July 1, 2025, embargoes will no longer be allowed for manuscripts accepted for publication on or after that date.

DMPTool's NIH Data Management & Sharing Template
Maintainers at the DMPTool prepared an enhanced template for NIH Data Management & Sharing Plans. This template includes suggested language. It provides more detail than the basic DMSP Template from NIH.

Data management and sharing plan examples (NIH)
Data Management and Sharing Plan Checklist for Researchers (Working Group on NIH DMSP Guidance)
NIH 2023 Data Management and Sharing Policy FAQs

Selecting a Research Repository for Final Data*

Consult the funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Is it directing you to a specific NIH repository (or set of repositories)? If yes, then use what the FOA specifies.
If the FOA does not specify a repository to use, researchers are encouraged to select a data repository that is appropriate for the data generated from the research project. Consult the NIH Repositories for Sharing Scientific Data.
A domain repository from the Directory of Research Data Repositories.
- Guidance on Sharing NIH Data with ICPSR
  - ICPSR supports data archiving for NIH-funded data collections.
If no appropriate discipline or data-type specific repository is available select one of the following:
- A repository from the Generalist Repository Ecosystem Initiative (GREI) list recommended by NIH.
  - GREI Repository Comparison Chart
  - Open Science Framework (OSF) for Institutions
    - OSF is one of the GREI repositories recommended by NIH.
    - Through our OSF for Institutions membership, you can associate your final data with George Mason.
The George Mason University Institutional Repository.
- George Mason University Libraries manages two institutional repositories.
  - The George Mason University Dataverse is designated for datasets.

Contact us with questions about selecting a research repository.

NIH Learning

Find resources and training opportunities for NIH sharing policies. Includes webinars, slide decks, and resources on Understanding the News Data Sharing and Management (DMS) Policy.

*NIH: Selecting a Data Repository

Examples of Data Management Plans

DMPTool Public DMPs includes sample and shared DMPs for NSF, IMLS, Department of Education, and more.
Sample data management and data management and sharing plans from all agencies from the Working Group on NIH DMSP Guidance.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) data management and sharing plan examples for January 25, 2023 policy change.
UC San Diego examples of National Science Foundation (NSF) data management plans
Contact datahelp@gmu.edu with questions about your DMP and for additional examples.

Data management planning is an important part of a research project. The plans required by funders are the first step in addressing how you will manage your research data. Once you get funding for your project, the second phase is building from your initial data management plan and devising a more detailed plan. Of course, writing a data management plan need not be tied to a grant proposal.