Four tips on data storage and organisation
16/08/2016
It is a well-known fact that the average lifespan of a hard drive is two months shorter than a thesis – well, maybe not a fact, but you can’t be too careful when it comes to protecting your files! So here are four top tips for keeping your data safe during a research project.
- 3 – 2 – 1 backup! Keep three copies, on at least two different media, with at least one offsite. You need multiple copies in case one file becomes corrupt or you accidentally mis-edit it; using different media is important in case one fails; and if you keep all copies in the same room, you’re at risk of data loss if there’s a theft or fire. University network drives keep multiple copies backed up in different locations, so they are always our recommendation.
- Organise your files with clear folder structures and file names. You might remember in the short-term where you’ve saved files, but if you return to your files in the future, or other collaborators/researchers access your files, a clear folder structure and file naming system will make things so much easier. See our intranet page on data organisation for more advice.
- Use open formats wherever possible. Proprietary systems change and files stored in proprietary formats (xlsx, etc) can become unreadable when opened in different software, or even different versions of the same software. It’s therefore important for the long-term accessibility of your data that you store files in open formats wherever possible. See our intranet page on file formats for more detail.
- Don’t keep everything. Whilst it’s tempting to keep everything, accessing and discovering data is easier when only the key files have been kept. Think about what data needs keeping (eg because it underpins your findings, because your funder/publisher/discipline requires it to be kept, or because it has special value or would be hard to reproduce) and preserve your important data safely. See our selection and appraisal checklist (pdf) on the intranet for more information.
Image from Digitalbevaring.dk used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Denmark.
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Getting started on your School of Management thesis
Writing a thesis, business plan, internship project or company project can be a daunting task, and you might have some uncertainty or questions around how to get started. This post will share some ideas and ...
Sustainability by royal request: Managing an event fit for a King
The Coronation of King Charles III on May 6th 2023, was watched by millions of people around the world with tens of thousands of people travelling to Central London to witness the pageantry firsthand. ...
Getting started on your Master’s thesis
Please note: This post is intended to provide advice to all students undertaking a thesis in the Schools of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing; Water, Energy and Environment, and Defence and Security. There is separate advice ...
Finding your tribe: “Joining the sustainability community was the best decision”
For students on Cranfield’s Sustainability Business Specialist Apprenticeship, community and camaraderie is a vital component for success. Designed in consultation with industry, the part-time Level 7 apprenticeship aims to deepen participants’ knowledge of the ...
“My sustainability studies gave me the confidence to take on Amazon”
Not everyone would have the confidence to challenge a big global power like Amazon but, for Colin Featherstone, Senior Technology Manager and Tech Sustainability Lead at Morrisons, his Cranfield studies equipped him with the ...
My Apprenticeship Journey – Broadening Horizons
Laura, Senior Systems Engineer at a leading aircraft manufacturing company, joined Cranfield on the Systems Engineering Master’s Apprenticeship after initially considering taking a year off from her role to complete an MSc. Apprenticeship over MSc? ...