Data Services: Data Archiving & Preservation

Long after some software packages are gone, reading your data files may be difficult or impossible. You can help reduce the obscelence of your data files by using file types that are designed for long-term access. The following file types are preferrable over proprietary software-specfic file types:

A. Text Files

PDF/A
TXT
XML
RTF

Not: MS Word

B. Numerical Files

CSV
ASC

Not: MS Excel

C. Video Files

MPEG-4

Not: Quicktime

D. Image Files

TIFF
JPEG2000

Not: GIF, JPG

E. Audio Files

WAV

Not: mp3

Depositing your data to a data repository is a great way to publish and share your data files with other researchers. Discipline specific repositories should be your first choice for data deposition. UTK Libraries staff can assist you in locating one. If a suitable, domain-specific repository can not be found, consider depositing your data files to Trace, UTK's digital repository.

Below are some examples of discipline specific repositories:

1. Science and Engineering

Dryad
GenBank
Protein Data Bank
National Snow and Ice Data Center
National Space Science Data Center
National Oceanic Data Center

2. Computer Science

GitHub

3. Social Sciences

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research 
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research

3. Trace (UT's Digital Repository)

For additional repositories by discipline, please visit the Data Repositories page on the Open Access Directory.