This document discusses good practices for formatting Excel spreadsheets used for research data. It describes including a data definition sheet with variable names and definitions. The data sheet then contains the column headers matching the variable names and data values. Formatting guidelines are provided, such as centering and bolding lowercase column headers, right aligning dates and numbers, and left aligning text. Consistent formatting across sheets is also recommended, including column spacing, fonts, and removing grid lines. An exercise is included to practice applying these guidelines.

1. RDM Online Module 3:
Good Practices in Formatting MS Excel Spreadsheets

2. The Data Definition Sheet
The data definition worksheet contains the variable names and the variable
definitions which briefly acquaint us about the background of each data field.
variable names:
 factors being observed
 used also as column headers
variable definitions:
 short descriptions for each factor observed

3. The Data Sheet
The data worksheet on the other hand contains the research data. It includes the column
headers and the data values.
column headers:
 names of the parameters in the research study, which correspond to the variable
names.
data values:
 values that have been observed or measured for each of the parameters

4. Good Practices in Formatting the
Data Worksheet
1. Column header
 alignment: center
 format: all characters in lower case, bold, no space (but can use underscore
'_')
2. Data values
 Date
 alignment: align right
 format: dd-mmm-yyyy (e.g. 11-Jan-2014)
 Numerical data
 alignment: align right
 format: specified number of decimal places

5. Good Practices in Formatting the
Data Worksheet
2. Data values (cont)
 Text data
 alignment: align left
 format: dd-mmm-yyyy (e.g. 11-Jan-2014)
 Same length character data
 alignment: align center
 General format
 columns: same column spacing for all worksheets
 no grid lines
 fonts: same style, same size, same color

6. Exercise:
1. Download the RDM Standard template HERE.
2. Using data from your (current / previous) experiment,
incorporate it into the RDM Standard Template.
3. Submit your output to rdm@irri.org

7. End of Module 3