Data organization and recordkeeping

******************************************* IMPORTANT ***********************************************************************

Google forms and/or docs should NEVER be used to store any study-related information/data regarding either potential or actual participants. All study-related information/data must be stored on UT Box.

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We go through a lot of effort to collect high quality data in our experiments. It is therefore extremely important that we have good data organization and recordkeeping procedures.

All research data should be completely de-identified, with no personally-identifiable information used in any filenames.

Hard copies of research-related forms
1. This category includes consent forms, compensation forms, eligibility screening forms, data collection forms, and other hard-copy paper forms that are used during an experimental session.
2. These forms should be divided into two groups:
  1. Forms containing identifiable information: this includes consent forms, eligibility screening forms, and compensation forms
  2. Forms not containing identifiable information: this includes anything that does not have identifiable information and instead only lists a subject ID.
3. Each study should have one file folder for forms containing identifiable information and another file folder for forms that do not contain this information. The folder with the identifiable information should be stored in one locked file cabinet in 546F BEL. The other folder should be stored in the other locked file cabinet in 546F BEL.
4. Do not leave these forms unattended in the lab.
Data from the Deymed TMS device
1. During hotspot determination and resting motor threshold, Deymed records EMG signals.
2. We typically do not save these records.
Data from the Brainsight computer
1. After completing an experimental session, save the BrainSight project to your study folder (located on the Brainsight computer Desktop).
2. The BrainSight project should then be moved to your personal study folder (located in UT Box). You can do this by logging into Box on the BrainSight folder and copy and pasting the file.
Data from the EEG computer
1. Our EEG software does not save EEG files in an intuitive way. The best way to make sure you know which file contains the recordings you are interested in is to export each recording to BrainVision format immediately after collecting it. This means that you will export EEG files several times during an actual experimental session. The EEG files should be exported to your study folder (located on the EEG computer Desktop).
2. The relevant EEG files should then be moved to your personal study folder (located in UT Box). You can do this using one of the lab's flash drives, or by using the data transfer cable that attaches the EEG computer to the realtime computer.
Data from the realtime computer
1. Each person has a folder on the realtime computer's C drive. In this folder, you should create a separate folder for each study that you are performing. All data acquired on the realtime computer should be saved in this study folder.
2. After saving the data in this folder, move a copy of it to your personal study folder (located in UT Box).
Tips on organizing your data in UT Box
1. Each person running experiments in the lab has their own UT Box folder under the SMNP_Lab master folder (/SMNP_Lab/personnel/NAME).
2. All work that you complete as part of your research duties in the SMNP lab should be in this folder.
3. Each individual study should have its own folder with a clearly-labeled name (i.e., Skill+Phase, HiLoGamma, StrokeMVPA)
  1. Under each study folder, use the following subfolders:
    1. raw_data - all raw data goes here. Raw data should be further subdivided into additional folders, with one subfolder for each participant that has been tested
    2. scripts - all analysis scripts go here
    3. writing - abstracts, manuscript drafts, and other writing-related items go here
    4. literature - relevant papers and other items related to your study go here
    5. tasks - task files (in eprime or matlab) should go here
    6. protocol - blank IRB-approved consent forms, blank eligibility checklists, blank data collection sheets and other blank documents you need for your study should go here
    7. data_collection_sheets - I strongly recommend that you scan each participant's deidentified data collection sheet and save them here. This can be a lifesaver if you misplace a data collection sheet and encounter something strange about the data.
    8. add any other subfolders you may find useful here!