OCLC researchers co-author new publication: Improving the Usability of Archaeological Data through Written Guidelines
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC)
14 Feb 2024
New Standards, Guidelines and Drafts
New publication out from Cambridge University Press & Assessment: Improving the Usability of Archaeological Data through Written Guidelines by Anne Austin (University of Missouri-St. Louis), Ixchel M. Faniel and Brittany Brannon (OCLC), and Sarah Whitcher Kansa (Open Context).
Archaeologists frequently use written guidelines during excavations to create usable data within and across projects, but previous research has demonstrated that the resulting datasets are often difficult to (re)use. This study examined how archaeological excavation teams used and implemented written guidelines. The authors offer recommended best practices to improve the quality and usability of archaeological data and a Written Guidelines Checklist to help project directors improve their written guidelines before, during, and after fieldwork as part of a collaborative process.
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