Project folder structure

All project folders assigned to projects have the same structure and provide you with prepared subfolders for your project components. This will assure a comprehensive data management structure for all projects at ZMT and help you organize your data. The folder structure design is logical to common needs during a project lifetime.

Guide to the structure of your project folder in the ZMT DataCloud

Your folder structure might differ, if it was created before February 2023. We evaluate the practibility of the structure from experience and feedback, aiming to create a flexible and helpful structure for needs from all fields.

Project Management

The folder “01_project_management” should contain all organizational files related to your project:

  • 01_project_kickoff: This folder is a collaboration space for PI’s and involved ZMT IGL during the kickoff phase of a project.

  • 02_administration_files: You can put your administration files here. These can be e.g. the e-mail history with administration staff or administration files relevant for the permissions for your work like material transport or travel permits.

  • 03_accepted_grants: If your project is funded by one or several grants, put the corresponding files in this subfolder.

  • 04_meeting_notes: Independently of the project size, it is useful to keep meeting notes with your supervisor or project partners documented and stored with the project, you can save them here. To keep track of ideas we recommend to note the dates and attendees of the single meetings along with the content notes.

  • 05_related_literature: In this subfolder you can keep the literature, e.g. papers or literature management files.

  • 06_data_management_plan: Put your data management plan (DMP) with timetables and milestones here: you will keep a good overview of your goals and achievements during the project at all times. This folder should not be empty ;) If you don’t know what to put here, please reach out to research-data@leibniz-zmt.de and let us assist with the creation of a data management plan for your project.

  • 07_notes: You most probably will have notes and ideas that you will want to write down and not forget: use this folder to save them.

  • 08_misc: For all additional files related to organizing the project, you can use this for miscellaneous.

Materials and Methods Documentation

The folder “02_materials_and_methods” is the place to store the information on materials and methods applied in your project. Document here, which equipment you used for your field work or which software and coding libraries were relevant in your work.

  • 01_protocols: Please put in here the documentation of the methodological research steps in the project. Depending on your topic it can list materials needed for your type of fieldwork, software with its version/applications/specialized plugins, methods applied to analyze your data (e.g. statistical analysis, classification techniques, transcription). A written documentation will help you to remember the research development process with challenges and solutions you came up with, this will be helpful to reconstruct the project history when preparing a publication, a presentation or sharing your project work with others.

  • 02_code: Here, you can store your code sheets. Make sure, the header of your code files disclose the purpose and author.

  • 03_informed_consent: If you need to get informed consent of your project participants, please save the signed consents here.

  • 04_ethical_clearance: If your project requires ethical clearance, put all relevant files in this subfolder. More information can be found on the ZMT intranet.

  • 05_animal_welfare: If your research concerns animal welfare, put all relevant files in here.

  • 06_nagoya_protocol: If your research includes genetic material, follow the regulations of the Nagoya protocol and save all Nagoya related project files in this subfolder.

Raw Data

The “03_raw_data” folder is here to store all raw data of each dataset associated with the project – the data that has not been edited by you yet but which you plan to use in your research. It can be e.g. your unprocessed field sampling records, or useful data from an online repository. Organize your data in this folder in the following way:

  • Each dataset should reside inside a subfolder. It is recommended to number and name these folders clearly, e.g. 03_raw_data/001_precipitationgermany2017.

  • IMPORTANT: provide the folder with information about your raw data by filling out a metadata form for each of your datasets!

  • For processing any of the data, make a copy of the dataset and paste it into the Data Processing folder. This way, you make sure to keep your raw data in its original state.

Data Processing

The actual work is done in this “04_data_processing” folder. Depending on your field, type and size of project, you can organize this folder in the way that fits your process best. Here, a bit of chaos can happen ;) Keep in mind to document your processing steps in the “02_materials_and_methods” folder and to put your final results into the “05_results” folder. Ideally, at the end of your project, it should be possible to delete everything in this folder and reconstruct the working process using the documentation and raw data from previous folders.

Results

All the results that are final versions of your data analysis or processing, should be copied into this “05_results” folder. Organize your results folder in the way most fitting to your project.

Provide metadata to your results files in the same way as you did it for the raw data.

Publications

In the folder “06_publications” you can work on your presentations, posters, articles and other publications.

  • 01_public_relations: Folder for keeping information (photos, interviews, ..) of the project that is relevant for public relations around the project.

  • 02_conferences: Here you can store everything for your conferences.

  • 03_manuscripts: In this subfolder you can keep the manuscripts for your publication submissions.

  • 04_other: For all other types of publications (newspapers, radio interviews, anything else …), you can keep your files here.

Miscellaneous

If you have anything related to your project that does not fit into the prepared structure, please put it in this “07_miscellanious” folder. You might come up with an idea how to apply this in your project and paste it into another folder or it will stay here as additional material.