SOC 503 Techniques & Methods of Social Science Data Resources at Princeton University

Coverage:  Time lag from date survey is conducted until data files released often 2+ years  Sub-national data: U.S. only, other large nations (China, India, Canada) where data are collected. U.S. has many state level surveys, some dealing with large cities (N.Y. and L.A.), some case studies (primarily crime) for other cities, areas.

Tips:  Documentation for data is typically in the official language of the country.  Data does not always come with setup files. You may need to write a setup file to read in the data.

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

A Few Definitions (adapted from ICPSR) longitudinal or panel study same group of individuals is interviewed at intervals over a period of time. Note that some cross-sectional studies are done regularly. For instance, the General Social Survey and the Current Population Survey: Annual Demographic File are conducted once a year, but different individuals are surveyed each time. Such a study is not a true longitudinal study. An example of a longitudinal study is the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience, in which the same individuals have been followed over time.

A Few Definitions (from ICPSR) cross-sectional study  data from particular subjects are obtained only once. Contrast with longitudinal studies, in which a panel of individuals is interviewed repeatedly over a period of time. Note that questions in a cross- sectional study can apply to previous time periods.

A Few Definitions (from ICPSR) hierarchical file  contains information collected on multiple units of analysis in different record types. For example, the physical housing structure may be 1 unit, and individual persons within the structure are another. An example is the Current Population Survey: Annual Demographic File which has household, family, and person units of analysis. Studies that include data for different units of analysis often link those units to each other so that, for instance, one can analyze the persons as they group in a structure. Such studies are sometimes referred to as having a relational structure.

Coverage:  International macro-economic, social, political, & financial indicators.  National surveys, statistics for U.S., many European nations, public opinion surveys from many nations, internationally sponsored surveys dealing with health, fertility, and nutrition.

Major Data Archive Subscriptions  Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research  Roper Center for Public Opinion Research Roper Center for Public Opinion Research  Social Science Electronic Data Archive Social Science Electronic Data Archive  Statistics Canada Microdata Statistics Canada Microdata

More data!  Economic, business and financial data services. econlib econlib  DSS Subject and Regional Guides. Guides

Even more data!  Federal, state, & independent government agencies. NGOs, IGOS. nalecon/subnational nalecon/subnational nalecon/history nalecon/history  Other data archives from around the world

Even more data!  Academic institutions, scholars, think tanks, & private organizations.  Consult the Main Catalog or Books+.Main CatalogBooks+  Google

Literature about data sets:  A useful way to find useful data sets is to look at the literature of the field. ICPSR’s Bibliography of Data Related LiteratureBibliography of Data Related Literature Sociological Abstracts Annual Review of Sociology Articles+ / Google Scholar Articles+Google Scholar

Data Analysis Options  Refer to published statistics  Use on-line analysis tools  Download data and use a statistical program

On-line Analysis Tools  Current Population Survey (Unicon version) Current Population Survey (Unicon version)  General Social Survey (in SDA format) General Social Survey (in SDA format)  ICPSR SDA files ICPSR SDA files

When you download data…  Documentation Survey – sampling methods weights  Variables  Format  Size

Downloading data

Software Help   Data Lab (Firestone)  GIS (Lewis Library) GIS  And you can help!

Contacts  Mary Senior Reference Librarian (data)  Bobray Bordelon Economics Librarian/Data Services Librarian (data)  Susan White Sociology Librarian (literature)  Oscar Torres-Reyna & Ofira Schwartz-Soicher Data & Statistics Consultants  Wangyal Shawa GIS Librarian

Data and Statistical Services DSS Computer Lab A-12-G Firestone Library