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ESDS resources for managing data
Jack KneeshawEconomic and Social Data Service
University of Essex, 27 January 2009
ESDS – a brief overview
• national data archiving and dissemination service, running from 1 Jan. 2003 www.esds.ac.uk
• jointly supported by: – Economic and Social Research Council – Joint Information Systems Committee
• distributed service, bringing together centres of expertise in data creation, dissemination, preservation and use
• core archiving services plus four specialist data services
Access to, and use of, data: a changing landscape (1)
• ESDS provides access to and support for key economic and social data with strong focus on survey microdata
• survey data available in a variety of formats – in terms of structure and software
• majority of survey datasets have traditionally been used ‘stand-alone’ but important new trends emerging …
- a growing number of datasets are being deposited that are specifically designed for use with other datasets; for example, longitudinal data; ‘special licence’ subsets
- a growing number of users are matching external resources to previously stand-alone datasets; for example, research employing micro-macro matching such as multi-level modelling; ‘neighbourhood effects’ studies; geography/environment data used in models of ‘happiness’; European Social Survey’s ‘events’ database
Access to, and use of, data: a changing landscape (2)
… continued …
- a growing number of users are supplying us with derived data; for example, MCS ethnicity vars, YCS harmonised ethnicity vars, IFS BHPS pension wealth vars – trend likely to persist with web 2.0 developments
- ‘social’ surveys are branching out in terms of the information collected; for example, NCDS biomedical sweep, UKHLS plans for biomedical data collection, ALSPAC social science datasets > range of genetic/phenetic vars previously unavailable to social scientists
- technology, computing power and ESRC £££ are pushing the boundaries of what can be done online and securely; for
example, the Secure Data Service
What might this mean?
• new frontiers for social science research opening up – brand new explanatory variables
• opportunities to challenge status quo with new data– back to the happiness literature -
geography/environment plus genetic/phenetic effects– testosterone effect on partisanship?
• each will require substantial ‘data management’ work prior to analysis itself!
How can ESDS help?
• online resources - links,data sources, publications (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
• practical user guides (beginner, intermediate)
• via forthcoming Secure Data Service – and perhaps also via forthcoming Survey Resources Network - new environments for analysis and collaboration (advanced)
• we are making progress … >>>
Working with Survey Files: Using hierarchical data, matching files and
pooling data
Part I: Units and levels of analysis
Part II: Linking and Matching Across a Multiple File Database: The Family Resources Survey
Part III: Pooling Data to Increase Sample Size
Analysing Change Over Time: A guide to ESDS microdata resources
Other ESDS Government guides for analysis (1)
Other ESDS Government guides for analysis (2)
(ESDS International) Countries and Citizens: Linking international macro
and micro data
(ESDS Longitudinal) Database of geography variables
(ESDS Longitudinal) Forthcoming: Matching biomedical data to survey
data• (to repeat) genetic/phenetic data are being collected
alongside a number of the major longitudinal studies and will be a key part of the forthcoming UKHLS– the ability to control for biomarkers in social science research
is likely to open up new strands of research and challenge conventional wisdom
• ESDS Longitudinal aims to be at the forefront of these developments– what data are available, what’s possible
– what research is being undertaken in the area
– promoting user groups – e.g. ALSPAC social science group (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac-social-sciences/)
– strengthening relations with other (traditionally non-social science) data providers – e.g. MRC-DSS
In short
• The data landscape is changing …- new opportunities
- new data- new environments
• ESDS aims to be a resource supporting users embracing this changing landscape
