How do I...

If the data you need still exists; If you found the data you need; If you understand the data you found; If you trust the data you understand; If you can use the data you trust; Someone did a good job of data management. Rex Sanders - USGS-Santa Cruz
Data not organized?	You can make it better.
Good planning leads to good data organization. It may not be as simple as pushing a button, but it pays dividends from the start.

...Get Started?
Why should you manage your data? What's the value of data management? Learn the basics in an Overview of Data Management.

...Create a Data Management Plan?
Learn how to create a data management plan and why it can help you.

...Evaluate my Data Acquisition Options?
Understand your choices before you make them.

...Organize my Data?
Use USGS guidelines to organize your data to benefit yourself and others.

...Create Metadata?
All published datasets require metadata. Learn how to create it and how it helps you.

...Back Up my Data?
Better safe than sorry. Avoid disaster with regular backups.

...Preserve my Data?
Find out more about archiving, disposition, persistent Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), and repositories.

...Dispose of Old Data?
Federal regulations govern the disposition of data. Learn how this affects you.

...Publish my Data?
Find out how to make your data available and visible, and about restrictions on data publishing.

Highlights
Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research [PDF] Important memorandum from the President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was released on February 23, 2013. The memo is intended to ensure "wider availability of peer-reviewed publications and scientific data in digital formats" to "accelerate scientific breakthroughs and innovation, promote entrepreneurship, and enhance economic growth and job creation" as well as "create innovative economic markets for services related to curation, preservation, analysis, and visualization."		Environmental Guidelines for the Storage and Preservation of USGS Science Records Media [PDF] A new document from the USGS Fundamental Science Practices SubCommittee on Data Preservation defines recommended temperature and relative humidity for storing USGS science data.

USGS Science Strategy Report ("Facing Tomorrow's Challenges – U. S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017", USGS Circular 1309) names data integration as one of the prerequisites for achieving its organizational goals.

Applying best practices to managing scientific data lays the necessary foundation for data integration. The purpose of this Web site is to support and enable USGS scientists in data management.

You can learn about data management techniques and best practices, download sample documents, and find references to authoritative sources by navigating various stages of the USGS Data Lifecycle.