Data Collection and Management

A workbook that demonstrates how to enter and store data properly in Excel.

Excel workbook (read only)

What the workbook offers

This resource is an Excel workbook with 25 worksheets, each labeled as “Tip #”. Each tip illustrates one or more important aspects of data entry. The author shows the “Good” way to enter data juxtaposed with a “Bad” way to enter data. The resource is easily accessible to clinicians and is particularly helpful by actually showing examples of what is good and what is bad. A box is provided on each worksheet briefly explaining the good and the bad. 

Who it's for

  • Clinician researchers

Who created it

Phillippe Gaillard, PhD, then a biostatistician in the University of Minnesota’s Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center (BDAC), now Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics and Director of the Statistical Consulting Center at Auburn University.

Note: The Biostats4you developers strongly encourage researchers to use a proper database such as REDCap (described elsewhere on this site), but if you must use spreadsheets such as Excel, then this resource will be helpful.