Data Preservation

Best Practices for preserving your research data for future reuse

The goal of data preservation is to ensure that your data

is in a sustainable format that can be accessed

and reused at some point in the future.

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Basics for digital data preservation • Locate everything to be saved

• Transfer from older media

• Create a directory

• Decide what to keep

• Organize the files

• Save copies in different places & on different media

• Manage the collections

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Locate everything to be saved • Locate all of your data

• Transfer from older media - floppy disks, cassettes, 8-

tracks, CDs, DVDs, magnetic tape

• Download data from social media sites, emails, file-

sharing sites, and cloud storage

• Transfer files from cameras and phones

• Collect it in one place

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Create a directory

Document everything that you identified or downloaded to a central location when you located your data.

•file name(s)

•location

•source (if it is still in the original location)

•media typeCreate a directory file that lists all of the content. It can be a paper list or a digital file, or both. Update it frequently. Email it to yourself, and store a copy with the content.

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Decide what to keep

Which research data should I preserve?

•Obligation to keep it for sharing or reuse

•Verification of the research

•Value of the data

•Uniqueness of the data

•Raw (primary) or processed (secondary) data

•General historical research (heritage)

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Organize the files

How should I identify my data files?

•Descriptive file names

•Consistency

•Identify different versions clearly

•Simple folder names

•Include date/time information

•Predictable

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Save copies in several locations Keep copies in different places & on different media

•Backup your data

•Duplication

•Different formats

•Location, location, location

•3-2-1 Rule: 3 copies, 2 media types, 1 copy offsite

•Threat zones

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Managing the collections How do I actively manage my research data?

•Visit your data often

•Migrate to newer media

•Migrate to newer formats

•Migrate to newer software

•Verify data consistency

•Keep your directory up to date

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• The UVa Library Research Data Services provides consulting and training services to UVA researchers and graduate students in all aspects of research data management.

• We can help you navigate and negotiate through the tricky issues and many approvals in order to responsibly share your research data.

• Contact us at dmconsult@virginia.edu

Need assistance or have questions?