Research Data Management: Preparing data for sharing

1. Gather your data and related information
   • raw data
   • processed and transformed data
   • documentation (README files, data dictionaries)
   • data tables and statistical summaries
   • figures and visualizations
   • methods and protocols
   • code: data processing and analysis scripts
2. Verify that your files can be shared publicly
   • remove copyrighted or user-restricted content
   • remove sensitive or personally identifiable information
     • anonymize human subject data
     • mask collection sites or locations of endangered or vulnerable species
3. Organize data and documents
   • ​​​​​​use descriptive, meaningful and consistent file names
   • organize directories/folders logically (e.g., Scripts, Raw Data, Processed Data, Results)
4. Choose open file formats over proprietary
   • for example, save in text (.txt) rather than Microsoft Word format (.docx)
   • see the Library of Congress recommendations for various file formats
5. Upload data files to your chosen data repository 
   • get permanent identifier (DOI) for your dataset and share!

Adapted from https://datadryad.org/stash/best_practices