About the January 2023 NIH data management & sharing policy

NIH Grant Proposal Policy Change | Data Management and Sharing Plans


What? All NIH grant applications will be required to submit a 1-2 page data management and sharing plan (DMSP). Please see the Final NIH Policy on Data Management and Sharing for details

When? Begins January 25, 2023

Why? "NIH has a longstanding commitment to making the results of NIH-funded funded research available.  Responsible data management and sharing has many benefits, including accelerating the pace of biomedical research, enabling validation of research results, and providing accessibility to high-value datasets."

What must I do? As of January 25, 2023, include a 1-2 page DMSP for all NIH grant proposals. The DMSP must include these 6 elements.

Guidance from NIH

Northeastern-specific resources

  • Resources and assistance for Northeastern researchers
  • DMPTool helps demystify the process of creating a DMP or DMSP.
    • Look for the "NIH-Default DMSP" template in the Create a New Plan section. 

Need help? We're here to support you: Contact our research data management specialist or your subject librarian.

Digital Repository Service

The Digital Repository Service (DRS) was developed by Northeastern University Library as a tool for University faculty and staff to protect the valuable information and data that has been created as part of the University’s research and instructional mission.

 

Anyone is welcome to use the DRS to discover publicly available content, like theses and dissertations or the University Archives and Special Collections Digital Collections. Members of the Northeastern community are encouraged to sign in to access additional content that is not available to the general public, like photographs from the Office of Marketing and Communications or certain research materials.

 

DRS Quick Facts

  • 389,763 files
  • 2,577 communities and collections
  • 11,389 Northeastern faculty, staff, and student users
  • DRS files have been viewed, downloaded and streamed more than 8.5 million times
  • Approximately 2,000 daily unique visitors
  • Approximately 3,500 file views, downloads, and streams per day

Counts are accurate as of February 1, 2024.

Selecting a repository for deposit

The DRS can accept most datasets under a 1TB, and will accept any file type, which makes it a suitable home for many research outputs. But, the DRS may not be the best place for you to store the data! Other professionals in your discipline or subject area may have a preferred repository that is better suited to the data produced by your research. Check out https://fairsharing.org/ to find data repositories in your discipline, or contact your subject librarian for help finding the right repository for you.

Consider a few factors when selecting a repository for deposit:

  • Longevity: How sustainable is the repository? How long will it hold the data?
  • Audience: where do others in your discipline go to find data?
  • Requirements: Does the system impose limits or restrictions on accepted file types? What is the maximum size allowed for each file? What metadata is required?

Depositing Data

Whether you're depositing data for publishing or grant requirements, or just want to make the output of your research available to your colleagues, depositing data in a repository or digital archive will ensure your research will be discoverable and usable for a long time. This guide will review some factors to keep in mind when preparing the data for deposit in the Digital Repository Service, or elsewhere.

Getting help with the DRS

Northeastern University Library offers a variety of services to help users get started with the DRS, including documentation, consultations, trainings, workshops, and general guidance.

Use the DRS contact form or contact Library-Repository-Team[@]northeastern.edu to start a new project, ask questions about files or features, get help with an issue, or to set up a training or general consultation.

For More Information

For more information about the Digital Repository Service (DRS), including best practices for selecting and preparing files for deposit, visit our Research Subject Guide