2. Pre-data

In the pre-data phase, you need to create:

1. A hierarchy of empty folders
2. Three blank documents.

Construct a hierarchy of empty folders

There are four folders to create:

• Original Data folder contains:
  • Your original data files
  • Importable data files (if necessary)
  • Metadata subfolder
    • A document called your Metadata Guide
    • Supplementary documents with additional metadata (if necessary)
• Command File folder contains:
  • one or more files with the commands used to process and analyse the data
  • command files written in the syntax of the statistical software you use for the study
• Analysis Data folder contains:
  • the fully cleaned and processed data files that you use to generate the results
• Documents folder contains:
  • A copy of your final paper
  • Your Data Appendix
  • Your Readme file

These four folders can be stored into a main folder. The contents of each folder are described in detail in the following sections. The steps undertaken within each folder should be done in the Data Work phase.

Create three blank documents

1. Create 3 blank documents that will become part of your replication documentation
   • The three documents to create are:
     • A Metadata guide — saved to your Metadata folder (which is a sub-folder of your Original Data folder)
     • A Data appendix — saved to your Documents folder
     • A Readme file — saved to the Documents folder.
2. Give the files appropriate names:
   • Metadata guide — MetadataGuide
   • Data appendix — DataAppendix
   • Readme file — Readme
3. Type an appropriate title at the beginning of each document
   • Examples titles:
     • “Metadata Guide for J. Student Senior Thesis.”
     • “Data Appendix for ‘The Economics and Politics of Popular Stringed Instruments,’ by U. K. Laylee.”
     • “Readme File for Econometrics Project by A. Smith and B. Jones.”

Other than their titles, leave these documents blank until the appropriate step in the Data work phase.