Title: Activity 2.1: Investigating file formats
Course: Storage and Access of Digital Resources > Section: Topic 2: The Nature of Digital Resources

Activity 2.1: Investigating file formats

Aim: To enhance your understanding of different file formats

Motivation: To become familiar with the programs used to open specific documents and their file extensions, as well as saving those documents.

Task:  Investigating file formats

Duration 3 hours (180 minutes)

Tools: Discussion forum;

Resources: Snipping tool (Windows), or any other screen-capture tool

What to do:

a)      Find a folder on your own PC/laptop, where there are several files with different file formats.

b)      Take a screen shot (using the screen-capture tool) of the folder with the files sorted by file type.

c)      Write down your explanation of what each of the file types shown represents.

d)     Describe how you would go about viewing a file in a format that is not present on your PC/laptop. For example, you may need to download and install software to access the file, such as Adobe Acrobat for a PDF. What other examples can you think of?

e)      Find out how to convert a PDF file to edit in MS Word, and how to save a MS Word file as a PDF. Record your steps.

f)       Share your record of all of these tasks in a file attached to your forum contribution. Your forum contribution should contain:

- A description of your challenges in undertaking this activity; and
- Your screen capture image.

How:

- Find a partner and agree to work with them in the forum.
- You and your partner should confirm access to each other’s attached document, and can download and open it on your computing device.

Feedback/response: (peer review)

- Each participant should constructively comment on their partner’s contribution.
- Read your partner’s response to your own contribution and reflect on the comments.

Assessment:

Completing this activity will count towards your course portfolio.