{"id":3252,"date":"2020-01-03T21:09:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-03T21:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=3252"},"modified":"2025-10-30T16:29:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T16:29:02","slug":"local-files","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/chapter\/local-files\/","title":{"raw":"Local Files","rendered":"Local Files"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Discuss proper file management techniques for local files<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nFile management includes folder structures and naming conventions, plus the choice of appropriate formats. Before we begin our discussion, take a moment to think about how you name files that you create.\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>Practice Question<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/5ca2981-54c6-4e0e-9729-f8bdfa50f580\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWith regards to folder structures, a good way to go about organizing your data is to create a\u00a0hierarchy of folders.\u00a0 As an example, you could use a folder for each project, with two subfolders:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cData,\u201d to store your research data, including images, databases, media, etc.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDocumentation,\u201d to store all relevant project documents, including, e.g. methodology and consent forms.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe more complex the project, the more detailed your folder structure can be. If you are working alone or in a small team, you might wish to use just a handful of subfolders. However, if you work on a large project you could create a range of subfolders to suit the team\u2019s needs. As an example, under \u201cData,\u201d you might create a subfolder for each data type, such as \u201cDatabases,\u201d \u201cImages,\u201d and \u201cSounds.\u201d Similarly, under \u201cDocumentation\u201d you might create a subfolder for each category of document, such as \u201cMethodology,\u201d \u201cConsent forms,\u201d and \u201cInformation sheets.\u201d\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to file naming, we recommend using simple but meaningful names.\u00a0Best practice\u00a0includes the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capital letters should be used to delimit words in the place of spaces or underscores<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">File names and paths should avoid unnecessary repetition and redundancy<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Numbers should always include at least two digits (i.e. 01 to 09 instead of 1 to 9)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nNaming will follow a convention chosen by you and other project members. For instance, you may decide that \u201cInterviewTra07JD20180214\u201d means \u201cInterview Transcript 7, written by John Doe, on 14\/02\/2018.\u201d You will need to describe such conventions as part of your study\u00a0metadata.\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>Practice Question<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/0341865c-9c4f-45a0-8f3a-f938bc4fb4ca\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nFinally, choosing appropriate\u00a0file formats\u00a0is key to ensuring data is reusable, as some formats become obsolete in time and may make your research inaccessible. You can use whatever software or format is convenient during your work, but when sharing the data you should follow best practice and ensure future reusability of your work. The US Library of Congress maintains a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/preservation\/resources\/rfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recommended formats statement<\/a>\u00a0, which we invite you to consult. This lists a series of file formats in order of preference by output type, including recommended metadata fields.\r\n\r\nWhen saving data for sharing, you might need to convert your working files. If you do so, always ensure that the conversion was successful and that no errors appear (e.g. missing values, wrong characters, text formatting, resolution, etc.).","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Discuss proper file management techniques for local files<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>File management includes folder structures and naming conventions, plus the choice of appropriate formats. Before we begin our discussion, take a moment to think about how you name files that you create.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>Practice Question<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_5ca2981-54c6-4e0e-9729-f8bdfa50f580\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/5ca2981-54c6-4e0e-9729-f8bdfa50f580?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_5ca2981-54c6-4e0e-9729-f8bdfa50f580\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>With regards to folder structures, a good way to go about organizing your data is to create a\u00a0hierarchy of folders.\u00a0 As an example, you could use a folder for each project, with two subfolders:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cData,\u201d to store your research data, including images, databases, media, etc.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDocumentation,\u201d to store all relevant project documents, including, e.g. methodology and consent forms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The more complex the project, the more detailed your folder structure can be. If you are working alone or in a small team, you might wish to use just a handful of subfolders. However, if you work on a large project you could create a range of subfolders to suit the team\u2019s needs. As an example, under \u201cData,\u201d you might create a subfolder for each data type, such as \u201cDatabases,\u201d \u201cImages,\u201d and \u201cSounds.\u201d Similarly, under \u201cDocumentation\u201d you might create a subfolder for each category of document, such as \u201cMethodology,\u201d \u201cConsent forms,\u201d and \u201cInformation sheets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to file naming, we recommend using simple but meaningful names.\u00a0Best practice\u00a0includes the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capital letters should be used to delimit words in the place of spaces or underscores<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">File names and paths should avoid unnecessary repetition and redundancy<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Numbers should always include at least two digits (i.e. 01 to 09 instead of 1 to 9)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Naming will follow a convention chosen by you and other project members. For instance, you may decide that \u201cInterviewTra07JD20180214\u201d means \u201cInterview Transcript 7, written by John Doe, on 14\/02\/2018.\u201d You will need to describe such conventions as part of your study\u00a0metadata.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>Practice Question<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_0341865c-9c4f-45a0-8f3a-f938bc4fb4ca\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/0341865c-9c4f-45a0-8f3a-f938bc4fb4ca?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_0341865c-9c4f-45a0-8f3a-f938bc4fb4ca\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Finally, choosing appropriate\u00a0file formats\u00a0is key to ensuring data is reusable, as some formats become obsolete in time and may make your research inaccessible. You can use whatever software or format is convenient during your work, but when sharing the data you should follow best practice and ensure future reusability of your work. The US Library of Congress maintains a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/preservation\/resources\/rfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recommended formats statement<\/a>\u00a0, which we invite you to consult. This lists a series of file formats in order of preference by output type, including recommended metadata fields.<\/p>\n<p>When saving data for sharing, you might need to convert your working files. If you do so, always ensure that the conversion was successful and that no errors appear (e.g. missing values, wrong characters, text formatting, resolution, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-3252\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Local Files. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Robert Danielson. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Practice Questions. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Sherri Pendleton. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>File management and formats. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Research Data Management Toolkit. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rdmtoolkit.jisc.ac.uk\/collect-and-capture\/file-management-and-formats\/\">https:\/\/rdmtoolkit.jisc.ac.uk\/collect-and-capture\/file-management-and-formats\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":17,"menu_order":18,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Local Files\",\"author\":\"Robert Danielson\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"File management and formats\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Research Data Management Toolkit\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rdmtoolkit.jisc.ac.uk\/collect-and-capture\/file-management-and-formats\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Practice Questions\",\"author\":\"Sherri Pendleton\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"5ca2981-54c6-4e0e-9729-f8bdfa50f580, 5332ffd4-0325-4825-8b18-a137f74beee4","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-3252","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":409,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5614,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3252\/revisions\/5614"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/409"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3252\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=3252"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=3252"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-computerapplicationsmgrs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=3252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}