Great organization is your best asset for data management.
README.txt files are a recommended method to document your project and add context when clarity is needed.
You should use a README.text file at the top level of your research project folder to explain the purpose of the research, the relevant summary, name and contact information for project researchers, general organization of your files, and copyright and licensing information. A README file will be crucial for another researcher or collaborator to understand your data - but could even be useful to yourself in six months or six years when you might return to a project.
The most important step to organize your research data is having a system and using it consistently. You may choose to organize your data by:
Document throughout your research process.
Separate out your research instead of putting all your samples in a general folder or a hard drive. Label it with the grant number, research site, type of data, and name the data file meaningfully.
Example:
Don't: Documents\Research\Sample1.jpg
Do: C:\\NSFGrant123\CaloRiver\Images
\Calo_20170120.tiff
Use meaningful names that are consistent, descriptive, and short.
A great way to meaningfully name files is to include the project, instrument, and the year, month, and date in the file name.
Example:
Don't: File12935.xls
Do: Project_Instrument_location_
YYYYMMDD.csv
Open file formats are less likely to become obsolete. Proprietary software, such as Microsoft Office Suite, may become obsolete. Open file formats have a history of wide adoption and backward compatibility. By choosing open file formats you can help ensure your data is accesible in the future.
Choose open formats:
