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Data Module #4: Keeping Your Data Organized

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Data Modules
Table of Contents

#1 - What is Research Data?
#2 - Planning for Your Data Use
#3 - Finding & Collecting Data
#4 - Keeping Your Data Organized
#5 - Intellectual Property & Ethics
#6 - Storage, Backup, & Security
#7 - Documentation

 

Got questions? Contact Us.

  Aaron Albertson
Research & Instruction Librarian, Social Sciences
(651) 696-6530
albertson@macalester.edu
  Beth Hillemann
Research & Instruction Librarian, Social Sciences
(651) 696-6704
hillemann@macalester.edu

Review of Module #4

Let's Review

Congratulations! You have completed the module Keeping Your Data Organized. Take a few minutes to check your understanding of the information covered in this module by answering the following questions. Once you've gone through each question, click on the "CHECK YOUR ANSWER" link to see how you did.
 

1.      Which of the following is NOT among the general rules for file and folder naming best practices?

     a - When including dates in file/folder names, use the format YYYYMMDD to help ensure proper sorting. 

     b - Establish a a convention for naming files/folders and then be consistent in using it across your project.

     c - Words like "draft" or "sample" that informs the status or type of file should be used to begin the name of your file/folder names.

     d - Use descriptive names related to the content of your data file or folder.  These might include project name, date, location, and type of data.

 

What do you think?

CHECK YOUR ANSWER
 

2.      Which of the following are among the best practices for creating a well organized folder structure for your data files?
 

     a - You should create folders where you store your data and a folder for any documentation.  

     b - Create a folder for keeping versions of your data files. You should save and archive versions of your data any time you make significant changes.  

     c - Put your final results in their own folder to allow easy access to the data used to support your research claims and write your paper. 

     d - All of the above.

 

What do you think?    

CHECK YOUR ANSWER
 

3.      What is the term used for a system that tracks the various changes that have been made to your data over the course of your research?  
 

     a - Data documentation.

     b - Version control.

     c - Data file sorting.

     d - Data file renaming.
 

What do you think?    

CHECK YOUR ANSWER