Amongst its many important benefits, open research (or open science) ensures a level of transparency for research projects, helps to maintain integrity in research, and supports reproducibility. It helps us to avoid data manipulation and misrepresentation, as data is made available for all to access and reuse in a manner that is as open as possible, but as closed as necessary.
Open means anyone can freely access, use, modify, and share for any purpose, subject to minimal licensing limitations (see: https://opendefinition.org/)
The following clip demonstrates the benefits of open science, and why we should work towards a culture of openness in our research:
The University expects, as per the University's Research Data Management (RDM) policy, that all researchers manage their data to the highest standards throughout the research lifecycle, as part of the University’s commitment to research excellence. Examples of research data can include text documents, spreadsheets of survey results, interviews, observations, recordings (audio and video), models, algorithms and scripts.
Why a Data Management Plan is important?
From the very start of your research, as you plan to collect, produce, and use data, it is important that this data is managed in a consistent, well-documented way.
A Research Data Management Plan (RDMP) is a “living” document, it can be a short document at first, allowing you to decide on how the project lifecycle will be realised, and can then be updated as plans for your data and your research project progress along the way. The document can then be expanded into a thorough record of how the project was designed, progressed, and completed.
Tools such as DMP Online allow you to describe and structure your data, so that you can plan, develop, review, re-access, and / or re-edit your research project data as the project progresses.
The Research Data Management Librarian can provide support to researchers to develop or review their Research DMP plans.
Quick steps to begin writing a RDM plan:
- Visit DMP Online and set up an account (see a how-to on “Write a DMP”)
- Begin writing a plan from the information that you have already gathered in your research proposal
- Check the guidance on DMP Online to provide more detailed information
- Review MTU policies at the Research Integrity & Compliance section of SWORD or here
- Include extra considerations from Science Europe’s Alignment Guide and FAIRsFAIR recommendations
- If unsure, review your plan with Research Data Management Librarian (swordcork@mtu.ie)
A full step-by-step guide to the process of beginning your plan with DMP Online is available in the section: Writing An RDM Plan.
For more in-depth information on the fundamentals of open science and open research, please visit MTU’s Open Education Resource (OER), “Foundations of Open Science” on Canvas.
