Planning, managing, and maintaining data that is collected or created through research (RDM) is a critical part of the research process. Research data management plans are required by many research funding agencies, institutional ethics processes and scholarly journals.
The resources on this page will assist you with RDM.
RDM planning tools
Free online, bilingual data management planning tool developed by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada and the University of Alberta to assist researchers in preparing data management plans (DMPs). Free account required.
RDM guidance
DMP Question Guide from the University of Toronto
DMP checklist from the University of Toronto
Indigenous RDM guidance
The First Nations principles of OCAP® — ownership, control, access and possession — are a set of standards that establish how First Nations data should be collected, protected, used, or shared.
OCAP® standards assert that Indigenous people have control over how data collected in their communities is collected and shared. Information and training is available from the First Nations Information and Governance Centre.
CARE Principles for Indigenous data governance
The CARE principles reflect the crucial role of data in advancing Indigenous innovation and self-determination and focus on Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility and Ethics.
Journal Data Management Policies
Academic journals increasingly require authors to comply with data sharing policies or guidelines. Here is guidance from two key health sciences library journals:
JCHLA Data Sharing Policy and FAQ
Background Reading
Research Data Management in the Canadian Context: A Guide for Practitioners and Learners created by Kristi Thompson; Elizabeth Hill; Emily Carlisle-Johnston; Danielle Dennie; and Émilie Fortin published with Pressbooks. The original is freely available under the terms of the CC BY-NC 4.0 license
Koltay, T. (2022). Research data management and data literacies. Chandos Publishing.
Ray, J. M. (2014). Research data management : practical strategies for information professionals. Purdue University Press.