Documentation of data

Introduction to description of data and data files

Aims

• assurance of readability and interpretability of data
• findability of data (e.g. in catalogues of datasets)

Definition

A targeted naming of files is essential for a documentation. In many cases it saves complementation by additional information that describes the study and the assessment process metadata. It is also possible to assess and assign paradata. Accompanying materials of a study are also part of a documentation. The documentation is a description of the data which serves as a user manual.

Documenting assists external parties in assessing the analytic potential of research data.

It serves transparency and traceability of decisions. Documentation is thus important particularly if projects involve usage of research data by several persons - for instance in the case of researchers leaving a project.

Guiding principles for a documentation

• Which information is needed by external parties wishing to re-use the research data for secondary analysis?
• Which information do I need to replicate the analyses at a later, yet undefined point in time?
• Which information is needed by project staff members who did not participate in data assessment?
• Which information is needed by project staff members who were not involved in data processing and data analyses?