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Using Tags for Document Management

Using metadata to describe files for ease of discovery changes in different operating systems and file types. This guide has instructions for a variety of different file types

File Management Strategies

File management is the process of imposing order on files by creating a deliberate, consistent practice that arranges files in a meaningful structure.
There are multiple ways to do this.

  • Folder/file hierarchy structure (think traditional paper management/Windows file explorer)
  • Naming conventions (a consistent pattern of naming files that puts files in order by topic and date
  • Tagging (applying a controlled vocabulary to files, which can then be searched to locate specific files)

This libguide highlights naming conventions and tagging. If you have questions about setting up any of the strategies above for your personal file management or research projects, please contact Megan (right hand box).

Resources and Examples

Naming Conventions

Case studies in poor and excellent naming conventions

File naming practices and case studies - Stanford University Libraries

 

Personal File Management

Creating order in digital files

Data One Best Practices Primer

 

Tagging Research Data

Tagging and finding your files - MIT Libraries

Tagging Your Data Presentation