Project organisation
The folder structure in which the data ends up must speak for itself, as must the file names used for the data files – especially when collaborating with others. The main considerations are:
- Use a simple template that works best for your project.
- Use a consistent and logical folder hierarchy (up to 3 levels).
- Create a separate data folder for each data collection.
- Separate raw data from processed data.
- Set up a README file in each folder (project introduction, content description and main files).
Project folder
Example: A single project folder consisting of multiple sub-folders:
- Sub-folder 1: Raw data: raw data (acts as a hard back-up)
- Sub-folder 2: Processed data: a version of the data that has been handled by software to prepare it for analysis
- Sub-folder 3: Analysis: code, comparisons, images, graphs
- Sub-folder 4: Results: manuscript, final images
- Sub-folder 5: Documents: manuals, communication with stakeholders (emails from supervisors, notes from meetings), literature, ethical review, approval letters, data management plan, informed consent forms, contracts, etc.
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