How to create a data management plan (DMP)?
Step 3
Describe the data you will collect and your methods for data collection
Text files, code, GIS, numeric and molecular data or multimedia files – depending on your research questions and methods, you create different types of data. In environmental and ecological research it is common to have more than only one data type. Studies and projects often are a complex composition of various methods. If you are an experienced researcher in your field, you might already have an idea of the data formats (e.g. xlsx, shp) you will create. In this case, you can specify your data types even to the data formats. Please, document data types and formats as detailed as possible when sending us your DMP support request. The more information we get, the better we are able to support you in data management planning.
Data volume and the number of files you will create are an important information regarding data management. In particular, they affect questions concerning backup strategies and techniques as well as the publication of your research data. Standards, methodologies and tools for data collection, data assurance, and data management may also provide important information for planning your data management. You are part of a larger umbrella project and have to stick to conventions on standards, methodologies, and software tools? That’s fine, this information is very important and should be documented in your DMP.
Working in environmental sciences often implies the collection of physical objects, which in some cases have to be archived as well. In GFBio, you have the possibility to submit and archive several kinds of objects related to your research data. By means of some basic questions on them (integrated in the DMPT), we can estimate if your physical objects can be archived in GFBio. Your DMP should also contain notice if you are working with sequence data as it requires special expertise and has to follow certain standards.