Manual Data Management Plan Tool

You can make a good start with managing your research data by writing a data management plan (DMP). A DMP helps you to make conscious decisions about research data in your project, which can save a lot of time in the later phases of your research project. Since DMPs are dynamic documents, it is recommended to update them regularly (and to consider versioning for this).

Radboud University has developed its own DMP tool in which researchers affiliated with Radboud University can write their DMP. The DMP tool can be found in RIS. This manual explains how to create a data management plan using the RIS interface. The manual consists of the following steps:

Note: Most of the steps and functions explained below have to be carried out by the administrator of the DMP (i.e., the person who registers the DMP in RIS). All options of the DMP tool are open for the administrator, while the options for co-authors (i.e., the other authors of the DMP registered in RIS) are limited, since it is the administrator who carries responsibility for the DMP. However, it is possible to change the administrator of the DMP by clicking the info button in the top menu and then clicking Change administrator.

Step 1: Adding a new result

The process of registering a data management plan starts with clicking results and then register in the top menu bar:

A pop-up window will appear asking you to choose a result type. Select data management plan:

If this result category is missing from the list, some changes have to be made to your account. Please contact the RIS servicedesk (ris [at] ubn.ru.nl).

By default, the status of the dataset is work in progress. Since DMPs are dynamic documents that should be updated regularly, you generally do not have to change the status of your DMP in RIS.

Step 2: Adding authors

Add any other authors that will need to work on the DMP. The following icons are visible in the authors menu:

The magnifying glass next to the empty author field opens a search field that allows you to find a colleague.

The information icon displays employment data of the researcher in question.

The bin icon removes the author from this particular publication.

To change the order in which the authors appear, select a number from the drop-down menu to the left of the author's name.

Adding authors listed in RIS

Adding authors can be done in two ways:

You can type the last name of the author in the empty name field. If there are no other persons with the same last name in the system, the rest of the information will be filled in automatically. Check if this information is correct! If there are multiple persons with this last name, a pop-up will appear, allowing you to select the correct name by clicking on the box in front of it. Note that sometimes there are multiple entries for the same author in the help list. Always choose the author name that is preceded by a P (preferred).
Click the magnifying glass icon next to the empty author field. This will open a search field. Type the name of your the author in the search field and press enter. Next, click one of the three show buttons depending on the list of results you want to see. In the list, select the correct name by clicking on the box in front of it. Note that sometimes there are multiple entries for the same author in the help list. Always choose the author name that is preceded by a P (preferred).

Adding authors that are not listed in RIS

If the author can not be found in the list of researchers, i.e. when the search field does not yield any results, you can add external authors manually. Contact the RIS servicedesk (ris [at] ubn.ru.nl (ris[at]ubn[dot]ru[dot]nl)) in case an author from within Radboud University is missing. To add a new author, follow these steps:

First be sure to check the spelling of the author's name. This prevents double listing and/or misspelled entries. If you are sure the author is not in the system continue with step 2.
Enter the author’s name in the open fields name, initials, prefix (optional) and title (optional). Please note that prefix is a separate field and a prefix should not be entered in the name field. For example, for the last name de Vries, enter Vries in the name field and de in the prefix field. Once all the fields are filled, press enter.
A pop-up screen saying “This is a new researcher or author in Metis” will open. Click add.
If you want to collaborate on your DMP, you must follow additional steps described under Collaborate with researchers from outside Radboud University on writing a DMP.

Step 3: Adding metadata

Next, enter the mandatory metadata fields. You need to add the title of the research project your DMP belongs to, the grant provider and the year in which you write the first version of your DMP. Optionally, you can also provide a summary of your research project.

If relevant, link your DMP to publications and datasets by clicking the Add results & researchers… button. As a DMP is usually drafted at the beginning of your research project, you probably do not have any related results yet. It is possible to add related results in a later stage as well.

Finally, you can link your DMP to either an existing or a new research project by clicking the Add research… button. If you register a new research project, this information will be checked by your faculty and linked to existing information about your research project. You can link your DMP to only one research project. If you want to replace a previously chosen research project, delete that project first and then select a new research project.

Click save in the top menu bar to save the information in the metadata fields.

Step 4: Entering the DMP tool

Once you have entered the required metadata fields (step 3) and clicked save in the top menu bar, the data management plan button at the bottom of the page will become active:

Click on it. A new tab in your browser will open and you are directed to the DMP tool. Make sure pop-ups are allowed in your browser when clicking this button.

Step 5: Creating a new version of your DMP

You now see the 'homepage' of the DMP tool which is mostly empty if you enter the tool for the first time and consists of two tabs:

A tab showing the versions of the DMP you have just registered with the corresponding title you have entered in step 3.
A tab that shows all your registered DMPs in RIS (overview DMP’s).

Next, follow these steps:

Click the Create plan button. This will create the first version of the current DMP. Note that this button is only available to the administrator of the DMP (i.e., the person who registered the DMP in RIS) and not to the co-authors of the DMP. However, it is possible to change the administrator as mentioned at the top of this manual.
You will be prompted with a list of DMP format. Select a format by clicking on it. Note that the General RU format and most research institute formats are accepted by NWO and ZonMw.
A pop-up screen appears, requesting you to name this version of your DMP. A default name is suggested (the title registered in RIS in step 3, preceded by a version number), but feel free to change the title. Click Create new version.

You’ve now created a new, empty version of your DMP, which will be visible in the DMP tool.

The Action button behind each version of your DMP allows you to complete various actions:

Delete a version (only available to the administrator of the DMP);
Rename a version (only available to the administrator of the DMP);
Copy a version (only available to the administrator of the DMP);
Add an attachment (such as the informed consent procedure);
Export your DMP in multiple output formats (such as DOC or PDF).

Step 6: Writing your DMP in the DMP tool

Once you have created a first version of your DMP, you can start writing. Click the DMP version name you would like to start editing. This will take you to your DMP.

The blue box at the top of your DMP presents some additional useful information on writing your DMP. The sections and questions that together make up your DMP can be found under the blue box. By clicking on one of the sections, the questions will appear.

We advise you to use the Save button on a regular basis while drafting the DMP to prevent losing any work.

As an administrator of the DMP (i.e., the person who registered the DMP in RIS), you can fill in the blue fields. The content in these fields will be included in any exports you make of the DMP.

Co-authors (i.e., the other authors of the DMP registered in RIS) can fill in the yellow fields. These fields can be used to discuss issues, but the content of these fields will not be exported.

Most questions have a more information button to help you answer the questions. The information boxes include additional explanations, tips and links to relevant websites for more information.

Step 7: Requesting feedback from RDM Support

After saving the final version of the DMP, you can request feedback from Radboud University's RDM Support (rdmsupport [at] ubn.ru.nl) by clicking the Request feedback button at the top right of your DMP:

The RDM Support team will generally provide feedback within 5 working days. An automated confirmation email is sent to your email address.

Note: The Request feedback button is only available to the administrator of the DMP (i.e., the person who registered the DMP in RIS), and not for the co-authors (i.e., the other authors of the DMP registered in RIS).

Step 8: Reading and integrating the feedback

Once the RDM Support team has provided feedback on your DMP, a notification email is sent to your email address again. The feedback can be consulted in the DMP tool in the feedback section:

If you have specific questions on the feedback you received, please contact RDM Support (rdmsupport [at] ubn.ru.nl).

Optional: Collaborate with researchers from outside Radboud University on writing a DMP

In order to collaborate on a DMP with researchers from outside Radboud University, EDU-ID accounts are used. To authorize someone with a EDU-ID account, follow these steps:

The researcher you want to add as a co-author to your DMP has to have an EDU-ID account. Such an account can be created at https://eduid.nl/en, using a social media account.
In the DMP register view add the name of the researcher as mentioned in step 2 under Adding authors that are not listed in RIS.
Once you have added the author, thee EDI-ID icon will appear next to the added co-author: . Click this icon.
Enter the email address of the external researcher. Note: This is the email address the external researcher used for creating her/his EDU-ID account. Next, click save.

After following these steps, the external researcher can use her/his EDU-ID account to log in to RIS via the Log in button on the RIS homepage and by choosing the EDU-ID option in the next screen.

The external researcher can now use RIS and collaborate on the DMP.