BMC Research Notes A peer-reviewed forum for micro publications across all scientific disciplines; launched 2008 Editor: Dirk Krueger, PhD Focused on brief notes as a forum to publish research outputs other journals won’t consider single observations null results replication studies Strong commitment to publishing research data helping authors increase data discovery and usability and to comply with funder policies Physical sciences Earth & environ-mental sciences Engineering sciences Biological sciences Health sciences

BMC Research Notes’ approach to research data Data notes Short notes (< 1000 words) Descriptor of scientifically valid data No analysis or interpretation Data deposited in appropriate repository checked by data editors Data is given a DOI and data note is a fully citeable publication Data management plans (DMPs) Describe data management lifecycle Open format (no template) Proof of funding from external body/agency be substitute for external peer review Authors may publish one free update which is linked to the original DMP https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/submission-guidelines/criteria-

DMP opportunities and challenges Submissions of DMPs have been low to date Encouraging DMPs is in line with commitment to research data, transparency and reproducible research Journal interested to work with libraries/funders to further define and validate DMPs as publishable units Similar to established policies (e.g. clinical medicine journals) on sharing of study protocols, and registered reports, sharing DMPs should help to reduce bias Can’t prescribe a particular format as unanswered questions such as the lifecycle of a DMP, what are good exemplary DMPs etc. Sharing of DMPs is rarely mentioned in journal/publishers policies currently (opportunity for change with RDA data policy standardisation IG) Sharing and publication should be encouraged but perhaps too soon to specify how/where they should be shared and published – need more exemplars