As you have learned throughout this course, good data management includes more than just strong organization and file naming practices. It also includes understanding the policies and ethics within which your data exist as well as proactively thinking through your data management plan.

While data management planning requires an initial investment of time and effort at the beginning of a project, it has long-term benefits for yourself and your data. It will help you ensure you are complying with important requirements and addressing potential issues with data sharing while also thinking about the full life cycle of your project.

As we’ve mentioned, data management plan specifics vary by funder and preferred data repositories also differ by your discipline. If you have questions about disciplinary practices, agency requirements, or other best practices contact your subject librarian, Research Data Services, or check back for discipline-specific micro-courses that are in the works!

Consult this list of campus resources discussed in this micro-course.

Resources

• Campus Data Governance
• Campus policy on data stewardship, access, and retention
• Lesson 2 of the Copyright and Fair Use micro-course
• MINDS@UW
• Data and Information Services Center’s Online Data Archive
• SSCC – Social Science Computing Cooperative
• DoIT
• Health Sciences and Minimal Risk Research Institutional Review Boards