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: [email protected]
(0161) 275 4722
Website:http://www.esds.ac.uk/government
JISCmail: [email protected]
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: [email protected]: 01483 682796
University of Surrey