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Guide to Thesis Data Management, Data Protection and Research Ethics

What is a data management plan?

What is a data management plan?

A data management plan (DMP) is a checklist and a self-made guide on how to design a thesis that takes into account legislation and the necessary research ethics, data protection, licensing, contracts and data security. Data management is the responsible and lawful handling of data, taking into account good scientific practice.


What are the benefits?
  • The plan will help you to draw up guidelines for yourself for handling the data during and after the thesis process.
  • It will help anticipate and manage the details of access rights and to think about the possibilities for further use of the material.
  • The plan shows the supervisor how the student has planned to collect the data, personal data practices, informing the subjects, asking for consent, etc.
  • Once these practices are written down, this makes it easier to discuss them with the supervisor.
  • Managing research data and developing a data management plan are part of good scientific practice and provide skills needed in the workplace, for example in conducting interviews and surveys.

 

Laurea's Data Management Plan guideline and template

Laurea data management plan forms

At Laurea, a data management plan is made during the planning phase of the thesis. Choose the right template for the data management plan depending on whether you are working on a Bachelor´s or a Master's thesis.

Bachelor´s thesis

Laurea's own template is used for the data management plan for theses at the bachelor's level::

Master's thesis

For the time being, the general Arene template is used for the preparation of the data management plan: 

Draw up the data management plan like this:

  • The plan can be written directly in the document template. 
  • Draw up the plan from the perspective of your own thesis. You need to understand what the plan means and how it will guide your work. 
  • Write concisely and concretely.
  • Demonstrate your ability to identify, anticipate and manage risks: e.g. handling of personal data, research ethics, secure data storage and sharing, access agreements.

Ensuring the re-use and open access publishing of data

If you want to enable the re-use of or open access publishing of your data, please note the following

In the planning and contracting phase of the thesis, you must take into account whether or not the material is to be used after the thesis is completed.

If, at the planning phase of the thesis, it appears that  

  • the material could be used by the partner company or organisation for development or marketing purposes, or 
  • the material could be further used by another student or it may be of general interest,

further use or open access publishing of the data has to be made possible through planning in the data management plan.

The following steps should be taken in advance, and when collecting/processing the data, to ensure the possibility of further use:

  • In the thesis contract, it must be agreed on with the work life partner which data will be handed over to the work life partner and under what conditions.
  • Participants in the thesis must be informed about the further use/open access of the thesis
  • Good practices of data management must be followed in the management of the thesis data
  • When applying for a research permit, information on possible further use must be provided.

Which type of theses need a data management plan?

A data management plan is always made if the thesis generates data. For example, if you collect thesis data through interviews or surveys, your thesis needs a data management plan.

Which types of thesis need a data management plan?

  • Thesis data is not always generated in portfolio and diary theses or literature reviews. However, even in these cases, it should be taken into account whether or not thesis data is generated.

  • In other theses, data is generated and a data management plan has to be done.

When will this be done?

  • The data management plan is done in conjunction with the thesis plan.

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