What is a data management plan?
A data managent plan is a document which outlines how a researcher plans to work with their data both during and after a research project. This includes how data will be organized, maintained, and shared.
Why should you care about data management?
A DMP can help you think through your research workflow and account for forseeable barriers that may impact how you work with your data. It's also important for your work to be reproducible; well-managed data and research artifacts (like code and software) will help make your work reproducible. Also, many funding agencies are starting to require researchers to submit a formal DMP when applying for grants. The National Institutes of Health have instituted their own data sharing plan requirements that can be supplemented with data management plans.
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