ABSTRACT
This chapter covers structures for data collection, exchange, and storage as well as two closely related topics, data integration, and processes around data exchange. It aids the reader to choose appropriate data collection formats and understand how they relate to common data storage or organization schemes in computer systems. Further, the reader will gain understanding of the basics of data integration and data exchange. The chapter also covers a few simple principles from the relational model. Understanding these is important to ensuring that associations between data elements and between data elements and important context are not lost when data are entered and stored in a file, a spreadsheet, or a database. Data transfers are simplified when two people or organizations are using the same software; many information systems have import and export functionality. Managing data for a study where data are received from different places brings with it additional tasks for maintaining research reproducibility.
