Data format standards ensure your data can be used by others and even your future self.
- Clearly state the file formats the project will use for data [ text files (TXT), tabular data (CSV), sound files (MP3), geospatial files (SHP)].
- Use non-proprietary (open) file formats when possible (TXT, CSV, MP3, SHP, etc)
- For more information on file formats, see the Library of Congress’s (LOC) Recommended Format Specifications. https://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/rfs/format-pref-summary.html
- For long-term sustainability planning, see LOC’s Sustainability of Digital Formats. https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/
