Planning is an important part of any project, big or small, funded or not. Plans may be part of a scoping study or funding application; they may also be developed in greater detail once you start a project. Plans may change as a project progresses, in response to something that happens or to allow you to deal with new challenges or make use of emerging opportunities or findings. The Research Support team are happy to provide advice both before and during a project. Generally, the sooner you get in touch the better.
For more information about how we can help with your project planning and funding application, please also explore our other pages, such as those about Technology for research projects, Open and reproducible research and Safe and compliant research.
Funding application advice
The Research Support team are happy to help when you are planning a funding application. We can discuss your research technology needs and suggest suitable software, technologies and approaches for your project. We can help you estimate the cost of the IT component of your project, and offer input on other aspects of your application, such as technology in the context of data protection and compliance, licensing, and data sharing.
Data management plans
Many funders now expect you to submit a data management plan with your funding application. Even if your funder does not require it, a data management plan can be useful for ensuring that your project runs as smoothly as possible and to help you anticipate possible problems before they occur – meaning that solutions can be found in good time. The exact content and structure of the data management plan can vary, but generally it will contain details about the type and quantity of data you intend to use, how you are going to create or collect the data, how you will be storing it during the project (including who will have access to it), longer term plans for preservation and sharing, and any ethical or legal issues.
The Research Support team are part of Research Data Oxford, the University’s central advisory service for all matters related to research data management. We can provide help and guidance when you are creating your plan, and are happy to offer feedback on your draft.