Collecting, processing and documenting data

Already during data collection, it should be taken into account that the data can be used sustainably for at least another 10 years. Extensive post-processing of the data before archiving/publication can be avoided if some things are already determined before the survey.

In the material and methods section of a publication, the research design may be briefly explained. However, these details are usually not sufficient to reproduce experiments, for example, or to be able to reconstruct all variables when collecting the data. Good documentation (metadata) is therefore necessary (see FAQ: What are metadata, metadata schemes and documentation).

Especially in collaborative projects, it is necessary to agree on uniform standards at the beginning of the project in order to keep the data comparable and to be able to use it jointly (cf. FAQs: How do I structure my data in a meaningful way? and Which file formats are useful?)

Various tools can help you manage your active data. You can find a helpful overview at Forschungsdaten.info, for example.

Also, as part of its MS campus contract, the University of Kassel grants access licenses for e.g. - Microsoft, Matlab (technical calculations and visualization), ArcGIS (processing of files and vector graphics).