ESDS Resources Anthony Rafferty ESDS Government Centre for Census and Survey Research University of...

ESDS Resources

Anthony RaffertyESDS Government

Centre for Census and Survey ResearchUniversity of Manchester

ESDS Government

• Supports major UK data series– Large surveys conducted, usually by government– Eg:

• Family Resources Survey• Labour Force Survey• General Household Survey• British Crime Survey

– Repeated cross-sections, often continuous– Important, widely used microdata

• Joint service– Team at UK Data Archive ingest and archive data– Team at Manchester deal with users– Registration for the data managed by ESDS

centrally

Role

• Too much stuff? – Navigating users through the right materials– Creating additional materials to help users

discover datasets and supporting materials

• Promoting the use of the data• Encouraging good practice• Bridging the gap between data collector

and users

Annual themes• Workshops and other materials are

related to an annual substantive theme– Year 1: Employment and the

Labour Market– Year 2: Health– Year 3: Social capital– Year 4: Ethnicity

• Ensures that work has an emphasis on substantive research

• Each year a thematic guide is produced which looks at how to explore the research theme with the data

Web-based resources to support users

• Thematic Guides• FAQs & Starting Analysis• Methodological Guides

– SPSS, Stata– Guide to weighting

• Publications database• Data usage search• Links to other web resourceshttp://www.esds.ac.uk/government/resources

Outreach events

Introductory workshops Joint workshops with other ESDS servicesMethodsResearch conferencesDataset user meetingsOther presentationsPosters

Improving the usability of data• Creating annual themed teaching

datasets• Change over time – comparison of

variables, LFS, GHS– Generating syntax to enable

comparability

• Harmonising Vital Statistics access and formatting

Keeping in touch

• Biannual newsletter• Email newslist• Home page contains news

– Our news– New data

• Helpdesk

Further info…

Helpdesk: govsurveys@esds.ac.uk

(0161) 275 4722

Website:http://www.esds.ac.uk/government

JISCmail: esds-govsurveys@jiscmail.ac.uk

Survey Link Scheme

2007

Survey

Link

Scheme

ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

National Centre for Social Research (NATCEN)

BMRB INTERNATIONAL

Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Essex in collaboration with NOP

University of Surrey

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

Attending a 1-Day Workshop at the Regional location of your choice

Normally an optional fieldwork visit with an Interviewer within NATCEN, ONS, ISER, and BMRB

Travel expenses are paid

University of Surrey

WORKSHOPSThe one day includes:

A brief overview of the BLAISE computer program used in the development of questionnaires

Construction of the questionnaire and practical discussion on interviewing

A Survey Organisation’s presentation on the use of CAPI on a major survey undertaken by the major organisations

University of Surrey

WORKSHOPS

The day is concerned essentially with the gathering of data and how quality is assured.

It is not concerned with the analysis of data which is the subject of other workshops

University of Surrey

WHO BENEFITS?

• Social Science Researchers

• Post Graduate Students:– MSc.– Ph.D.

• Teachers of Research Methods• Researchers (non-Academic)

University of Surrey

Currently few Social Research Methods Courses for postgraduates provide more than a general treatment of Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI).

University of Surrey

Survey

Link

Scheme

WHY APPLY?

Survey

Link

Scheme

Programme - 2007

University of Surrey

CONTACTS

• Online:

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk/slsdocs/apply.htm

• Administrator - Jenny RainsEMAIL: J.Rains@surrey.ac.ukTEL: 01483 682796

University of Surrey