Most publications on outcomes assessment take a holistic approach: they focus more on the whole of assessment than on its components. They describe entire academic assessment programs and their cumulative impact on institutional effectiveness. Some evaluation articles characterize assessment components such as instruments, findings, and use of findings. But little is said of the data that are collected, coded, or analyzed, although decisions about data form the foundation for assessment. If assessment is to be at the heart of all academic programming, the characteristics of the data to be used should be carefully considered and described. So what are good data? This article describes several aspects of good data collection, maintenance, and use.