Documenting federal scientific and technical information (STI): A discussion of appraisal criteria and applications for the national archives and records administration

The preservation of scientific data is a complex task, both in theory and in practice. This article examines the major producers of U.S. federal government scientific technical information (STI), principal data categories, and the role of the National Archives in documenting scientific data. The preservation of scientific data by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is a monumental task in both volume and complexity of the data and the issues involved. This article will examine several important questions surrounding the appraisal, accessioning, and preservation of scientific data by NARA.