Keeping an untouched copy of the raw data

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. You are about to clean a messy survey spreadsheet. What should you do FIRST?

A Make a copy of the data, then clean the copy

B Start deleting bad rows in the original

2. Which way duplicates a worksheet inside a spreadsheet file?

A Right-click a cell and choose Delete

B Right-click the sheet tab and choose Move or Copy

3. Which file name is the best for saving a copy of your raw data before cleaning?

A final final NEW (2).xlsx

B survey_data_raw.xlsx

4. True or false: After you make a copy, you should clean the original sheet and keep the copy as a backup.

A False: clean the copy and leave the original alone

B True: clean the original and keep the copy

5. In the Move or Copy box, which option makes sure the original sheet stays in the file?

A Tick Create a copy

B Leave Create a copy unticked

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1data_raw_v1.xlsx		AThe copy was made after cleaning, so the original raw data was already changed and lost.
2Right-click tab > Move or Copy > Create a copy		BA file name that marks a saved copy of the original, untouched data
3Before cleaning, save the file under a new version name so the original is never lost		CSheet names: Raw \| Raw (2) - clean Raw (2)
4Clean only the copy of the worksheet, leaving the raw data sheet unchanged		DSaving with the same name overwrites the original file, so the raw data is lost.
5Delete duplicate rows on the only sheet, then make a copy		EFile > Save As > data_raw.xlsx
6Save As data.xlsx over the original file name		FDuplicates the worksheet so you can clean the copy and keep the original sheet untouched

Definitions

raw data copy

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Right-click the tab, pick ____________

File > _______ > data-raw.xlsx

Tick _____________ then click OK

Sheet 1: data-raw (never edit) Sheet 2: data-_____ (edit here)

File name: data-___.xlsx Meaning: the untouched original

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A Right-click the Survey tab

B Choose Move or Copy

C Leave Create a copy unticked

D Clean only the copy

Question 2

A Open data.xlsx

B Save As data.xlsx

C Clean data_clean.xlsx

Question 3

A Double-click the Survey tab

B Choose Move or Copy

C Tick Create a copy

Question 4

A Duplicate the Raw sheet

B Delete the Raw sheet

C Clean only the Working sheet

D Keep Raw sheet unchanged

Question 5

A Open results.xlsx

B Save As results_raw.xlsx

C Save As results_clean.xlsx

D Clean results_raw.xlsx

Answer Key

Keeping an untouched copy of the raw data

Section A: Quick Questions

A — Make a copy of the data, then clean the copy

B — Right-click the sheet tab and choose Move or Copy

B — survey_data_raw.xlsx

A — False: clean the copy and leave the original alone

A — Tick Create a copy

Section B: Match the Pairs

data_raw_v1.xlsx → A file name that marks a saved copy of the original, untouched data

Right-click tab > Move or Copy > Create a copy → Duplicates the worksheet so you can clean the copy and keep the original sheet untouched

Before cleaning, save the file under a new version name so the original is never lost → File > Save As > data_raw.xlsx

Clean only the copy of the worksheet, leaving the raw data sheet unchanged → Sheet names: Raw | Raw (2) - clean Raw (2)

Delete duplicate rows on the only sheet, then make a copy → The copy was made after cleaning, so the original raw data was already changed and lost.

Save As data.xlsx over the original file name → Saving with the same name overwrites the original file, so the raw data is lost.

Section C: Definitions

raw data copy — An untouched copy of the original data, made by duplicating the worksheet or using Save As before cleaning, so you clean only the copy and never lose the original.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Right-click the tab, pick Move or Copy

File > Save As > data-raw.xlsx

Tick Create a copy then click OK

Sheet 1: data-raw (never edit)
Sheet 2: data-clean (edit here)

File name: data-raw.xlsx
Meaning: the untouched original

Section E: Spot the Error

C — If Create a copy is unticked, the sheet is only moved and no copy is made. Tick Create a copy so the original stays untouched.

B — Saving with the same name as the open file overwrites the original. Save As with a new name like data_clean.xlsx so the original file is kept.

A — Double-clicking a sheet tab only lets you rename it. You right-click the tab to get the menu with Move or Copy.

B — The Raw sheet is the backup of the original data. You must keep it, so you rename the copy to Working instead of deleting Raw.

D — Cleaning results_raw.xlsx changes the raw copy. Clean only the working copy, results_clean.xlsx, and leave the raw file alone.