Exercise 2: Data Formats for Research

Objective

In this exercise, you will explore how different data formats such as CSV, JSON, and Relational databases can be used to store, share, and analyze research data. You will reflect on which format best suits your research needs and practice framing your project data in each format.

Instructions

Step 1 (5 min):

Write a short description (3–5 sentences) of a current (or previous research project) where you need to collect and store structured data. Descirbe the type(s) of data (e.g., survey responses, experimental results, text data, images) and the intended analysis.

Step 2 (10 min):

Consider which format(s) best suits your project’s data:

CSV – Tabular datasets (e.g., spreadsheet-like survey results in two dimensions)
JSON – Hierarchical or nested data (e.g., structured metadata, complex experiment logs)
SQL – Relational databases (e.g., multiple linked tables such as participants, experiments, and results)

For each format argument for or against why the format could be used.

Step 3 (15 min):

In groups. Exchange your examples and discuss:

Which format best suits your current research data needs and why?
What are the trade-offs of each format for your project (e.g., ease of use, scalability, analysis complexity)?

Expected Outcome

By the end of this exercise, you will have concrete examples of your research data represented in CSV, JSON, and SQL formats. You will also have critically assessed which format (or combination) is most suitable for your work and why.