1. 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

2. 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

3. 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