Finding Microlevel Data for Economists at Princeton University: Education and Labor

Contacts  Bobray Bordelon, Economics/Finance/Data  Linda Oppenheim, Industrial Relations Librarian (labor and education)  Todd Hines, Economics/Finance/Data  Data & Statistics Consultants

A Few Definitions  Summary statistics: Aggregated counts of survey or administrative data. (e.g. Number of persons in an area)  Micro-data: Survey or administrative data about an entity. (e.g. person, family, household, establishment)

A Few Definitions (from ICPSR)  Cross-sectional Study: Data from particular subjects are obtained only once. (Note that questions in a cross- sectional study can apply to previous or later time periods.)  Longitudinal (Panel) Study: Same group of individuals (panel) is interviewed at intervals over a period of time.

A Few Definitions (from ICPSR)  Panel: A group of individuals who are interviewed more than once over time in a longitudinal survey.  Wave: In a panel study, interviewing period during which the entire panel is surveyed and asked the same questions.

Cautions Using Microdata  1. Time lag: typically 2+ years from collection to release  2. Sub-national data: very little available and often restricted.  3. Restricted data: not uncommon to wait a year before getting permission or denial to use the data. Need to show why public use version is not sufficient. Each country has its own rules.  4. Public use versions: Aggregation of some variables

Cautions (cont’d.)  5. Level of specificity of question  6. Title of survey v. subject of survey  7. Cross-national comparisons: What exists for one country may not exist for another country. Data is generally inconsistent across borders.

Identifying & Finding Microdata Literature search: Check methodology section of articles, books, working papers, etc. Literature Databases:  Econlit – economics including labor  ERIC – education  ICPSR Bibliography of Data- related Literature

Smith, James P. “Immigrants and the labor market,” Journal of Labor Economics, 2006, vol. 24, no. 2.

New York Times article

Accompanying graph

Identifying & Finding Microdata Statistical tables Use the table footnotes, methodology sections, etc. in yearbooks, statistical compilations, etc.

Statistical Compilations: Labor  Statistical Abstract of the United StatesStatistical Abstract of the United States  Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics (electronic 2006, print 2009 in Social Science Reference Center (SSRC) call no. HD8051.A63)  Year-book of Labour Statistics (ILO) (Social Science Reference Center (SSRC) call no. HD7801.I6 A36)  Laborsta (ILO): International Labour Office database for over 200 countries or territories regarding labor and consumer prices. Laborsta

Statistical Compilations: Education  Statistical Abstract of the United States Statistical Abstract of the United States  Digest of Education Statistics (NCES) Digest of Education Statistics  Condition of Education (NCES)Condition of Education  Education at a Glance (OECD) (SSRC) LB2846.E247 (paper version)  Education Statistics on the Web Education Statistics on the Web

Identifying & Finding Microdata DSS web site: Subject categories for data sets.

Identifying & Finding Microdata Government statistical agencies: Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, etc. Bureau of Labor StatisticsNational Center for Education Statistics

Identifying & Finding Microdata Data archives: Repositories such as ICPSR, UK Data Archive, etc. ICPSR  Search data Search data  Variables Database Variables Database  Bibliography of Data-Related Literature Bibliography of Data-Related Literature  Series Series

Variable and Question Indexes and Databases

Identifying & Finding Microdata Princeton University Library Catalog

Identifying & Finding Microdata  Google Be careful about authority Use “microdata” + keyword term

Labor Microdata  Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) Survey of Income and Program Participation  Panel Study on Income Dynamics (PSID) Panel Study on Income Dynamics  National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) National Longitudinal Surveys  Comparison chart Comparison chart

National Longitudinal Surveys National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Men and Older MenNational Longitudinal Surveys of Young Men and Older Men-- The Young Men's survey, which was discontinued in 1981, includes ~5200 men who were ages when first interviewed in The Older Men's survey, which was discontinued in 1990, includes ~5000 men who were ages when first interviewed in National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Mature Women (NLSW)National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Mature Women (NLSW)—Sample size: The Young Women's survey includes ~ 5000 women who were ages when first interviewed in The Mature Women's survey includes ~5000 women who were ages when first interviewed in Frequency: These surveys are now conducted simultaneously in odd-numbered years. National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79)National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79)-- Survey of men and women born in the years ; respondents were ages when first interviewed in Frequency: annual, 1979 to 1994; biennial, 1994— present Sample size: 12,686 NLSY79 Children and Young AdultsNLSY79 Children and Young Adults-- Survey of the biological children of women in the NLSY79. Frequency: 11 biennial rounds National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97)National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97)-- Survey of young men and women born in the years ; respondents were ages when first interviewed in Frequency: 10 annual rounds ( ). Sample size: 9000

Education Microdata  National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) National Education Longitudinal Study  Common Core of Data (CCD) Common Core of Data  Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) Schools and Staffing Survey  Private School Universe Survey (PSS) Private School Universe Survey  Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

Statistical Software Supported  Stata  MATLAB  SPSS  SAS  Also: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, DBMS/Copy

Finally  Remote access “Connect from off-campus”  Citing and bibliographic software