[TEMPLATE FOR: NSF FUNDED PROJECT/ UNRESTRICTED DATA/ Harvard's Dataverse Networks]
[ Note: This DMP describes how the project will conform to NSF Policy on dissemination and sharing of research results, including the requirement to “share with other researchers, at no more than incremental cost and within a reasonable time, the primary data, samples, physical collections and other supporting materials created or gathered.” In addition, check for specific directorate/program requirements.]
Template for Data Management Plan (version of this document in Microsoft Word)
1 Data description
[ Briefly describe nature & scale of data {simulated, observed, experimental information; samples; publications; physical collections; software; models} generated or collected. ]
2 Existing Data [ if applicable ]
[Briefly describe existing data relevant to the project; added value/justification of new data collection/generation; and plans for integration with existing data]
3 Audience
[ Briefly describe potential secondary users; scope and scale of use]
4 Access and Sharing
All data collected or generated will be deposited in the Dataverse Network (DVN). The DVN is a public repository, hosted and maintained by Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT). The DVN facilitates data access by providing descriptive and variable/question-level search; topical browsing; data extraction and re-formatting; and on-line analysis.
All data will be deposited at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the award. Such data may be embargoed until the publication of research based on the data or until 1 year after the expiration of the award, whichever is sooner. Users will be required to agree to click-through terms that prohibit unlawful uses and intentional violations of privacy, and require attribution. Use of the data will be otherwise unrestricted and free of charge.
5 Formats
Immediately after collection, quantitative data will be converted to [ SELECT ALL THAT APPLY: Stata, SPSS, R, GraphML, CSV] formats. These formats are fully supported by the DVN, which will perform archival format migration; metadata extraction; and validity checks. Deposit in these formats will also enable on-line analysis; variable-level search; data extraction and re-formatting; and other enhanced access capabilities. Documentation will be deposited in PDF/a, or plain-text formats, to ensure long-term accessibility, with any accompanying sound (in WAV), video, or images separate from the documentation deposited as JPEG 2000 files (with lossless compression) or uncompressed TIFF files.
6 Documentation, Metadata and Bibliographic Information
The project will create documentation detailing the sources, coding, and editing of all data, in sufficient detail to enable another researcher to replicate them from original sources; and descriptive metadata for each study including a title, author, abstract, descriptive keywords, and file descriptions. The project will include bibliographic information for any publication by the project based on that data.
The Dataverse Network (DVN) system's “templating” feature will be used for consistency of information across studies. The DVN system automatically generates persistent identifiers, and Universal Numeric Fingerprints (UNF) for studies; extracts and indexes variable descriptions, missing-value codes and labels; creates variable-level summary statistics; and facilitates open distribution of meta-data with a variety of standard formats (DDI v 2.0, Dublin Core, and MARC) and protocols (OAI-PMH and Z39.50).
[ If applicable, briefly describe additional metadata/documentation to be provided; standards used; treatment of field notes and collection records; and quality assurance procedures for all of these ]
7 Storage, backup, replication, and versioning
The DVN provides automatic version (revision) control over all deposited materials and no versions of deposited material are destroyed except where such destruction is legally required. All systems providing on-line storage for the DVN are contained in a physically secured facility that is continually monitored. System backups are made on a daily basis. Replicas of data are held by independent archives as part of the Data-PASS archival partnership, regularly updated, and regularly validated, using the LOCKSS system.
8 Security
The DVN complies with Harvard University requirements for good computer use practices. Harvard University has developed extensive technical and administrative procedures to ensure consistent and systematic information security. “Good practice” requirements include system security requirements (e.g., idle session timeouts; disabling of generic accounts; inhibiting password guessing) operational requirements (e.g., breach reporting; patching; password complexity; logging ); and regular auditing and review. The full Harvard University security policy can be found at http://security.harvard.edu/.
9 Budget
The cost of preparing data and documentation will be borne by the project, and is already reflected in the personnel costs included in the current budget. The incremental cost of permanent archiving activities will be borne by Harvard's Dataverse Networks.
[IF the data requires storage over 5GB, cannot be ingested using the acceptable formats above, requires extensive documentation, or is unusually complex in structure include: Staff time has been allocated in the proposed budget to cover the costs of preparing data and documentation for archiving for [describe complexities and management]. Harvard has estimated their additional cost to permanently archive the data is [insert dollar amount, to be agreed with Dataverse Network team at Harvard]. This fee appears in the budget for this application as well. ]
10 Privacy, Intellectual Property, Other Legal Requirements
Information collected can be released without privacy restrictions because [ it does not constitute private information about identified human subjects; informed consent for full public release of the data will be obtained; the data will be anonymized using an IRB-approved protocol prior to the conduct of analysis ]. The data will not be encumbered with intellectual property rights (including copyright, database rights, license restrictions, trade secret, patent or trademark) by any party (including the investigators, investigators' institutions, and data providers.); nor is subject to any additional legal requirements. Depositing with the DVN does not require a transfer of copyright, but instead grant permission for the DVN to re-disseminate the data and to transform the data as necessary for preservation and access.
11 Archiving, Preservation, Long-term Access
The DVN commits to good archival practice, including independent geo-spatially distributed replication, a succession plan for holdings, and regular content migration. Should the archiving entity be unable to perform, transfer agreements with the Data-PASS partnership ensure the continued preservation of the data by partner institutions. All data under this study will also be made available for replication by any party under the CC-attribution license, using the LOCKSS protocols – which is fully supported by the DVN system.
12 Adherence
[If not the PI, briefly describe who/which project role is responsible for managing data for the project]
Adherence to this plan will be checked at least ninety-days prior to the expiration of the award by the P.I. Adherence checks will include review of the DVN content, number of studies released, availability for each study of subsettable/preservation friendly data formats (possibly embargoed, but listed); availability of documentation (public); and correctness of data citation, including UNF integrity check.