Accessing the UK Longitudinal Studies via the ESDS Jack Kneeshaw UK Data Archive/Economic and Social...

Accessing the UK Longitudinal

Studies via the ESDS

Jack Kneeshaw

UK Data Archive/Economic and Social Data Service21 June 2004

ESDS Longitudinal

Economic and Social Data Service

• new national data archiving and dissemination service

• provides access and support for key economic and social data

• distributed service, bringing together centres of expertise in data creation, dissemination, preservation and use

• provides seamless and easier access to a range of disparate resources for UK Higher and Further Education sectors

• core archiving services plus four specialist data services

Specialist data services

• ESDS Government• ESDS International• ESDS Longitudinal • ESDS Qualidata

• Greater emphasis on:― value-added data and documentation― enhanced resource discovery― improved delivery services― service specific help― online support materials― training programme― outreach and promotion

About ESDS Longitudinal

ESDS LongitudinalJoint enterprise:

• UK Data Archive (UKDA)• UK Longitudinal Studies Centre (ULSC)

based at ISER

• supports a range of longitudinal data collections but four ‘core’ collections in particular:

• 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) • British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) • Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) • National Child Development Study (NCDS)

ESDS Longitudinal

In addition to core studies ESDS Longitudinal will also:

• aim to identify other longitudinal datasets for inclusion, e.g. English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and the 1946 Birth Cohort (NSHD)

• via the UKDA, continue to make available other longitudinal studies such as the LFS (2 and 5 quarter), YCS, HALS and BEPS

ESDS Longitudinal

The service already provides:

• a helpdesk service operated by – email: longitudinal@esds.ac.uk – telephone: +44 (0)1206 872143– JISCmail discussion list: esds-longitudinal@jiscmail.ac.uk

• web-based Frequently Asked Questions

• web-based downloadable data files

• online data in Nesstar to facilitate the browsing of longitudinal datasets

• a series of meetings and workshops for both novice and more advanced users

Data Access

The data – BCS70

The data – BHPS

The data – MCS

The data – NCDS

Documentation

A variety of documentation is made freely available, including:

• guides to datasets• lists of publications• annotated questionnaires• interactive data dictionaries (for CLS studies)• ‘Data Notes’ series (for CLS studies)• other survey-related doc, inc. Working Papers etc.

(for CLS studies)

Retrieval and access

• web access, via UKDA site, to data and metadata

• documentation (codebooks, questionnaires) freely available to any user (registered or unregistered)

• data can be browsed and frequencies run by any user (registered or unregistered) using Nesstar

• full datasets are freely available for download for the majority of our registered users

• data supplied in a variety of formats– SPSS – STATA– tab-delimited text

Access for registered usersRegistered users can:

• download full datasets

• order data via online order system

• browse/analyse/download data in Nesstar

To register:

• obtain an Athens ID

• sign and return End User Licence (legal undertaking)

To access data:

• register a usage (formerly a project)

Registration and Nesstar Demo

ESDS Longitudinal Help

+44 (0)1206 872143www.esds.ac.uk/longitudinal

www.data-archive.ac.ukhelp@esds.ac.uk