README files

How to set up your README file

A README file provides information about data/software and is intended to help ensure that the data/software can be correctly interpreted and used, by yourself or others. A README file is generally shared together with an open dataset, or can be the landing page of your software repository.

README text files should describe the methods used for data collection and analysis and include data/software-specific information (parameters, variables, column headings, symbols used). See https://www.makeareadme.com/ for more information on why README files are important and how you can set up your own README files.

README for data

Best practices

• Create one README file for each dataset

• Name the file README

• Use plain text file (README.txt or README.md). Or use README.pdf when text formatting is important for your file.

Example templates for data:

• https://cornell.app.box.com/v/ReadmeTemplate

• 4TU.ResearchData’s guidelines for readme files (pdf)

README for software

See this short presentation by Carlos Martinez about the importance of README files for software.

Example templates for software:

• https://github.com/othneildrew/Best-README-Template

• https://ha0ye.github.io/CW21-README-tips/template_README.html

• https://github.com/manuGil/fair-code

• More templates

  • https://github.com/Spaak/contextual-cueing-meg/blob/master/README.md

  • https://gist.github.com/jxson/1784669

  • https://github.com/othneildrew/Best-README-Template

  • https://github.com/matthiasott/README-template