May is a time when many students will be graduating and finishing up research projects. As you’re preparing to leave, consider using this data exit checklist created by the University of Illinois Research Data Service.
Using a data exit checklist isn’t just good for data management practice, it has real benefits:
- keep track of all data generated or used during a research project
- easier transition for new staff or students beginning work on an ongoing project
- record of who has worked on a project for lab managers, PIs, or supervisors
The checklist has 5 parts:
✓ Data description: provides brief description about the project and its data.
✓ Data organization: describes the folder/file structure and naming strategy used in your project.
✓ Data documentation and metadata: provides information about what documentation was used and its location.
✓ Data storage: describes where the data are stored, how it can be accessed, and who has access.
✓ Data sharing and publication: details whether data were or will be shared for reusability or reproducibility.
▼ Download the full checklist from the University of Illinois.
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Content on this page has been adapted from The University of Illinois Research Data Service Data Nudge with permission under CC BY 4.0 US.