Data managing and processing

Raw data

• Contain results– experiments– measures– counts– observations– report cards– interviews

• Do not contain– means– medians– calculations– statistics– conclusions

Raw data

• Preserve the raw data– lab-book– computer files– photos et. ctr.

• Raw data should not be changed– during processing– in adaptation– during statistics

Make copies for adaptation/statistics

Raw data• Preserving the raw data - safety

– lab-book – where to keep it?– photos – where to keep them?– computer files

• average life of a hard disk 2-3 y• keep your files on server

– (http://www.rhi.hi.is/moppun_drifa_heimasvaeda_og_sameiginlegra_svaeda)

• advancing technology -> disks get outdated• backup backup backup

Advancing technology

Will computers be able to read a CD in 10 y?

Yesterday,All those backups seemed a waste of pay.Now my database has gone away.Oh I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly,There's not half the files there used to be,And there's a deadline hanging over meThe system crashed so suddenly.

I pushed something wrong -What it was I could not say.Now all my data's gone and I long for yesterday-ay-ay-ay.

Yesterday,The need for backups seemed so far away.I knew my data was all here to stay.Now I believe in yesterday.

How much does a computer cost?€,

$,

ISK

Time

Backup systems• Store data on server (network drive in Ugla)

– Automatic backups every day

• Anything– CD’s– USB sticks– External hard drives– e-mail– Google docs– Dropbox

Lab-book

• Lab book costs approx kr. 5-700

• What to write in the lab book????

Everything

What to write in the lab-book

• Protocols

• Recipes

• Dilutions

• Methods

• References

• What you did

• Your results

• What do they mean

• What went wrong

• How

• Why

• What does it mean

• What else can you do?

• Ideas

Protocols

• Handy to use 2 protocols– thorough protocol where “everything” is written– to learn the method and teach others

• recipes, dilutions, mixes, incubation times, et. ctr.

– short protocol– for daily use

• main steps, on a single page (laminated)

Computer files• Most databases are flat two-dimensional

files (Excel)– good for most simple databases– can not handle endless amount of data (limited)– not good for complex databases with numerous

variables– you must flatten the data

• Other programs– FileMaker, Oracle, ……

Computer files• Excel is relatively simple to use

– designed for business purposes

• Flat two-dimensional files– not user-friendly as a large database

Databases

• Pull out the main things (means et.ctr.)– visualize your results– graphs and charts– tables and figures– pivot tables

– frequently (unless double blinded)

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Computer files - Photos

• Always save your raw data on TIF or RAW format– avoid using JPG or GIF (you lose quality when saving

repeatedly)

• Always save a copy of photos for processing (preserve the raw data unchanged)