What file formats should I use for my research data?
What file formats should I use for my research data?
Answer
The safest option is to use open formats (such as comma-separated values or CSV) and not proprietary formats, although some proprietary formats (such as SPSS, PDF, Excel, and Word) are widely used and likely to be accessible in the long term. Formats that enable long-term preservation and sharing of data are listed in the table with Recommended formats from the UK Data Service.
For more information, see Preserving.