IntermediateData/

During the steps of processing that transform your Input Data Files into your Analysis Data Files, it may be convenient to temporarily save one or more files containing partially processed data, and then use the data from those files again at some later point in the processing. These files are called Intermediate Data Files.

Intermediate Data Files are created by commands you write in your processing scripts.

All of your Intermediate Data Files should be stored in the IntermediateData/ folder.

• What if I don't have any Intermediate Data Files?

  If your Processing Scripts do not create any Intermediate Data Files, you may omit the IntermediateData/ folder from your documentation.

Naming Intermediate Data Files

Give your Intermediate Data Files short, simple names, such as

• temp1.xxx, temp2.xxx

or

• cleanyear1.xxx, cleanyear2, cleanyear3.xxx, mergeyears1_3.xxx

where .xxx represents the filename extension assigned to data files by the software you are using. (For example, if you are using Stata, .xxx would be replaced by .dta; if you are using R, .xxx would be replaced by .rda or .Rdata; and if you are using SPSS, .xxx would be replaced by .sav.)