Data Conservancy NSF Data Management Plan Template
(Please note, this template was created soon after the NSF required data management plans; it has since evolved into a new questionnaire.  You can find the later version of the template, as well as additional information about data management plans, on the JHU Data Management Services site.)
 
          Through its leadership of Data Conservancy, the Sheridan Libraries have developed a template that addresses the elements of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) guidelines for data management plans.  The template focuses on cross-cutting or common elements across NSF directorates.  It is not intended to address the elements or requirements of a particular directorate which may identify additional conditions.   
          Based upon our initial experiences, we have found that NSF Principal Investigators from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) were able to create a first version of their data management plan using this template.  Through substantive dialogue and iteration, the PI and Sheridan Libraries personnel created two-page data management plans that capture the relevant elements and consider specifically how to leverage Data Conservancy infrastructure and services.  We have found that this type of engagement is necessary to identify the core elements and describe the plan effectively and concisely within two pages.  While our experience has focused on Data Conservancy as the service provider, the template is general enough that it could be used for any data management service provider.

          This template is also based on review of several sources including the UK Digital Curation Centre, DataONE and the Association of Research Libraries' guide:
 
          http://dmponline.hatii.arts.gla.ac.uk/
 
          http://www.dataone.org/plans
 
          http://www.arl.org/rtl/eresearch/escien/nsf/index.shtml
 
          Information about NSF's data management plan requirements is available at http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/dmp.jsp.

          For further information about working with the Data Conservancy NSF data management plan template please contact mike DOT rippin AT jhu DOT edu.

Educational Tools

         Writing Your Data Management Plan - Workshop sponsored by the ESIP Federation

          Responsible Data Use and Managing Your Own Data - APECS Webinar

          Data Management 101 for the Earth Scientist - AGU 2011 Workshop sponsored by NOAA and the Data Conservancy, and conducted by the ESIP Federation.