Preserving ETDs: Resources and Recommendations

The ETD+ Toolkit helps the academic community to train students to ensure the longevity and accessibility of their research outputs. It includes an open set of six modules and evaluation instruments that prepare students to create, store, and maintain their research outputs.

MODULE 1: COPYRIGHT

How can students gain appropriate permissions and how can students signal copyright for their own works?

MODULE 2: DATA ORGANIZATION

How can students structure, describe, store, and deposit data and research files for reuse and/or future access?

MODULE 3: FILE FORMATS

How will the formats students choose make future access to their research easier or more difficult?

MODULE 4: METADATA

How can students store information describing their files to make sure they can tell what they are in the future?

MODULE 5: STORAGE

How can students make well informed choices about where to store their research materials?

MODULE 6: VERSION CONTROL

What mechanisms can students use to make it easier to see the history of a file with multiple versions?