Record Keeping Tips for Students

Good record-keeping can help students stay organized with assignments and deadlines, track grades and academic progress, resolve disputes (e.g., grade appeals, registration issues), manage jobs, organize scholarship applications, etc.

The following has been developed by the Archives and Records Management Department (ARMD) to support SFU students in keeping records relating to their academic careers organized. 

Best Practices

• Use Cloud storage (i.e., OneDrive or Google Drive) to back-up documents. See OneDrive FAQs for more information. 
• Organize records by date, semester, course name, and subject. Consider using the sample folder structure below.
• Name files with sufficient detail and versioning. Consult the Standard Naming Conventions for Electronic Records for guidance.  
• Keep copies of assignments, grading rubrics, and feedback from your professors. Also keep course outlines and syllabi as these records can be valuable in demonstrating course equivalency if you transfer to another university.  
• Make time to review your records at the end of each semester. Ensure records are filed together in a single location (i.e., OneDrive) and have clear file titles. Remember to organize your email too.  
• Use a calendar management tool to keep track of assignment due dates, exams, grades, and group project meetings.  
• Manage financial records by retaining receipts for textbooks, tuition, etc.  
• Secure sensitive information by using strong passwords and two-factor authentication on devices and apps. Visit Tips for Safe Computing for more information. 

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Sample Folder Structure

Course Material

Create separate folders for each course that you take. Even if you upload copies to a learning management system (like Canvas), you should consider retaining your own copies of these records for future reference and use. 

• Course A [Include Course Number and Term/year in the title, i.e., HIST101-Fall2025]
  • Syllabus/Course Outlines 
  • Lecture Notes 
  • Correspondence with Instructor/TA
  • Assignments
    • Assignment 1
    • Assignment 2
    • Group Project
    • Final Paper

Student Services

Create folders to organize correspondence with specific units at SFU. For example:

• Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL)
• Financial Aid and Awards

Financial Records

Create folders to organize financial records. Even if these records are available through systems like GoSFU consider downloading and keeping your own copies. 

• Receipts
• 2025-2026
• Scholarships
• 2025-2026