Evolution of Data Documentation ICPSR 2012
Evolution of Data Documentation
Codebooks!
Description of study Description of files Description of variables Survey instrument Classification Standard
Codebooks! Location of variables in the data file
Codebooks! Values, Labels, Frequencies…
PDF Osiris dictionary SPSS cards CBLT Book Osiris SPSS Problems of early digital codebooks (part 1)
PDF Osiris dictionary SPSS cards CBLT Book Osiris SPSS (user has to re-create information in order to re-use information) Machine “readable” but not Machine “actionable”
DDI 1 and DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 2.0 STUDY DESCRIPTION 3.0 DATA FILES DESCRIPTION 4.0 VARIABLE DESCRIPTION 5.0 OTHER STUDY-RELATED MATERIALS Built to emulate early code BOOKS and digital Codebooks…
Problems of early digital codebooks (part 2) Static, inflexible. Meant to document the end point of research -- Views research as linear. Hard to re-use the information for new research.
Problems of DDI 1 and 2 Emulated the Code Book Not flexible enough We could do so much more…
Three Stages of Technological Change Type of ChangeCharacterized by ModernizationDoing what we’ve always done, but using technology to do more and to increase efficiency InnovationDoing things we’ve wanted to do, but could not do without the technology TransformationDoing things that we didn’t imagine until technology made it possible.
Three Stages of Technological Change Type of ChangeCharacterized by Early digital codebooks Doing what we’ve always done, but using technology to do more and to increase efficiency DDI 1 and 2Doing things we’ve wanted to do, but could not do without the technology DDI 3Doing things that we didn’t imagine until technology made it possible.
Three Stages of Technological Change Type of ChangeCharacterized by Early digital codebooks Making codebooks machine readable DDI 1 and 2Making codebooks re-usable, even machine actionable… DDI 3Re-thinking “documentation” Re-thinking the research process
DDI 1 and 2 Document Description Study Description Data Files Description Variable Description Other Study-Related Materials
DDI 1 and 2 Document Description Study Description Data Files Description Variable Description Other Study-Related Materials Study Concept Data Collection Data Processing Data Distribution Data Archiving Data Discovery Data Analysis Repurposing DDI 3