This article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to Element 4 of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy: Data Preservation, Access, and Associated Timelines.
Suggestions: Review the Overview of 2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy for information on all areas and requirements for submitting an NIH DMS Plan with your grant application.
For example plans, see List of Sample Data Management and Sharing Plans.
Element 4: Data Preservation, Access, and Associated Timelines – Content
Requirement 1 Examples Fill-in-the-Blank Template NIH GuidanceRequirement 2 Examples Fill-in-the-Blank Template NIH Guidance
Requirement 3 Examples Fill-in-the-Blank Template NIH Guidance
Additional Resources
Element 4: Requirement 1
Provide the name of the repository(ies) where scientific data and metadata arising from the project will be archived.
There are various ways to disseminate and preserve scientific data and to make it discoverable. In this section, you should describe where and when the scientific data associated with your research will be made available.
The primary way to satisfy this requirement is to put your scientific data into a repository, which will support preservation of that data and provide long-term access. In some cases, a repository may be specified by the funding institute or center. If a repository is not specified, then you have discretion in selecting the repository for your data. When identifying a repository, consider how your scientific data will be made discoverable through the platform. For example, the repository’s ability to provide persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs, handles, ARKs) for your scientific data is a good starting point to ensure consistent access. If there are restrictions on the manner or length of time that the scientific data can be preserved or accessed, be clear as to what those restrictions are in this section.
Element 4: Requirement 1 Examples
Sample Plan Text
Imaging data will be deposited into the National Cancer Institute’s Imaging Data Commons. All other data described above in the “data to be shared” section will be deposited into the Zenodo repository.
Sample Plan Text: Clinical Study
Aggregate clinical trial data from all arms of the study will be available in clinicaltrials.gov, along with related metadata. All other data described above in the “data to be shared” section will be deposited into the National Addiction & HIV Data Archive Program (NAHDAP) repository.
Fill-in-the-Blank Template
All dataset(s) that can be shared will be deposited in _________ [appropriate NIH-supported data repositories] OR ________ [appropriate discipline- or data-specific repository, generalist repository, or your institutional data repository].
Element 4: Requirement 1 NIH Guidance
The NIH has provided additional information to assist in selecting suitable repositories for scientific data resulting from funded research. See NOT-OD-21-016 and other guidance on selecting a repository for details on repository considerations.
If your research is subject to Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) Policy, refer to recommended repositories on the Where to Submit Genomic Data page on the NIH sharing site.
Process for Selecting a Repository
- Option 1: The first consideration is whether the FOA or institute specifies a repository. If so, that repository must be used.
- Option 2: Next in priority are approved Open Domain-Specific Data Sharing Repositories.
- Option 3: If neither of those considerations fits, consider other potentially suitable options: PubMed Central attachments, approved generalist repositories, or your organization’s institutional repository.
Element 4: Requirement 2
Describe how the scientific data will be findable and identifiable – i.e., via a persistent unique identifier or other standard indexing tools.
Ensuring that data can be identified and found supports scientific advancement and data reuse. Repositories assign datasets a citable, unique persistent identifier, such as a digital object identifier (DOI) to support digital discovery, findability, and citability.
Element 4: Requirement 2 Examples
Sample Plan Text
[Repository name] provides searchable study-level metadata for dataset discovery. [Repository] assigns DOIs as persistent identifiers, and has a robust preservation plan to ensure long-term access. Data will be discoverable online through a standard web search of the study-level metadata as well as the persistent pointer from the DOI to the dataset.
Sample Plan Text: Vivli Clinical Trials Data Repository
Vivli provides access to data and documentation through study-level metadata specific to clinical trials description, long-term preservation and access, and Vivli-issued DOIs. In addition to DOIs, Vivli records are cross-searchable by the clinicaltrials.gov registration ID. Access request processes are described in detail with each data record.
Fill-in-the-Blank Template
The _________ [repository name] provides metadata, persistent identifiers [insert whether DOI, handles, other], and long-term access. This repository is supported by ________ [insert funder/organization] and dataset(s) are available under a _______ [insert license information].
OR
The _________ [repository name] provides metadata, persistent identifiers [insert whether DOI, handles, other], and long-term access. This repository is supported by ________ [insert funder/organization] and dataset(s) are available through a request process __________ [insert information about request process].
Element 4: Requirement 2 NIH Guidance
Unique Persistent Identifiers: The repository assigns datasets a citable, unique persistent identifier, such as a digital object identifier (DOI) or accession number, to support data discovery, reporting, and research assessment. The identifier points to a persistent landing page that remains accessible even if the dataset is de-accessioned or no longer available.
Element 4: Requirement 3
Describe when the scientific data will be made available to other users and for how long data will be available.
The NIH encourages researchers to share scientific data as soon as possible, but no later than the time of an associated publication or the end of the performance period, whichever comes first. You must indicate when scientific data will be made available and for how long.
Element 4: Requirement 3 Examples
Sample Plan Text
All scientific data generated from this project will be made available as soon as possible, and no later than the time of publication or the end of the funding period, whichever comes first. The duration of preservation and sharing of the data will be a minimum of 10 years after the funding period.
Fill-in-the-Blank Template
Shared data generated from this project will be made available as soon as possible, and no later than the time of publication or the end of the funding period, whichever comes first. The duration of preservation and sharing of the data will be a minimum of _____ [duration] years after the end of the funding period.
Element 4: Requirement 3 NIH Guidance
Researchers are encouraged to consider relevant requirements and expectations (e.g., data repository policies, award record retention requirements, journal policies) as guidance for the minimum time frame in which scientific data should be made available. The NIH encourages researchers to make scientific data available for as long as they anticipate it being useful for the larger research community, institutions, and the broader public. Identify any differences in timelines for different subsets of scientific data to be shared.
Genomic data has further guidance on release expectations and timelines.
For human genomic data:
- Investigators are expected to submit data to a repository acceptable under the Genomic Data Sharing Policy. See Where to Submit Genomic Data.
- Human genomic data is expected to be shared according to the NIH’s Data Submission and Release Expectations, but no later than the end of the performance period.
For non-human genomic data:
- Investigators may submit data to any widely used repository.
- Non-human genomic data is expected to be shared as soon as possible, but no later than the time of an associated publication or end of the performance period, whichever is first.
Tip: Using the DMPTool
There are currently no specific formatting requirements included in the NIH DMS Application Guide. However, there is a helpful DMPTool, a free online wizard that walks you through the process of creating an NIH-compliant DMS Plan. The information in this article includes examples from DMPTool.
NIH Guide Notice: As outlined in the NIH Guide Notice Supplemental Policy Information: Elements of an NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan, DMS Plans should address six elements (areas): Data Type; Tools, Software, and Code; Data Standards; Data Preservation, Access, and Associated Timelines; Access, Distribution, or Reuse Considerations; and Oversight of Data Management and Sharing, as described in the Application Guide. The NIH suggests that a DMS Plan be no more than two pages. The plan should be attached to the application as a PDF file, as outlined in the NIH’s Format Attachments page.
Additional Resources
- DMPTool: a free online wizard that walks you through the process of creating an NIH-compliant DMS Plan.
- Sample NIH National Library of Medicine Repository Finder: An interactive web interface to help researchers find repositories meeting their research requirements.
- NIH-Supported Data Sharing Resources: List of domain-specific repositories and generalist repositories.
- Re3data: A global registry of research data repositories that cover a wide range of academic disciplines, re3data presents repositories for the permanent storage and access of data sets to researchers, funding bodies, publishers, and scholarly institutions.
- RRID (Research Resource Identifiers): RRIDs are persistent and unique identifiers for referencing a research resource and are used for promoting research resource identification and tracking.
Related Articles
- NIH DMS Policy Overview: This article includes an overview of the NIH DMS Policy and links to all other Element articles.
- NIH Data Management and Sharing Plans: Examples of completed DMS Plans.
Sources
NIH Template Working Group*. (2023). DMPTool NIH-Default DMSP template, v9. In California Digital Library (Ed.), DMPTool [DMP authoring software]. Retrieved from https://dmptool.org/template_export/118304408.pdf
* More information on the NIH Template Working Group history and membership can be found at https://blog.dmptool.org/2022/08/18/supporting-the-upcoming-nih-data-sharing-requirements-with-the-dmptool/