1 ESDS Government: added value for large-scale government datasets Vanessa Higgins, Economic and Social Data Service CCSR, University of Manchester MOF July 2003

2 Summary of talk Introduction to the large-scale government surveys ESDS government plans for next 4.5 years -highlighting the research potential of datasets -providing help for new users -and promoting the research use of datasets Karen Dennison (UKDA) demo of NESSTAR.

3 The Aim of ESDS Government To promote and facilitate increased and more effective use of large-scale government survey datasets in research, and learning and teaching across a range of disciplines.

4 The large-scale government surveys General Household Survey Labour Force Survey Health Survey for England/Wales/Scotland Family Expenditure Survey British Crime Survey Family Resources Survey National Food Survey/Expenditure and Food Survey ONS Omnibus Survey Survey of English Housing British Social Attitudes National Travel Survey Time Use Survey

5 Benefits of the large-scale government datasets Good quality data –Produced by experienced research organisations –Usually nationally representative with large samples –Good response rates –Well documented Continuous data –Allows comparison over time –Data is largely cross-sectional Hierarchical data –Intra-household differences –Household effects on individuals

6 Percentage of women aged cohabiting General Household Survey

7 Source: Richard Dickens, Paul Gregg and Jonathan Wadsworth (2000) ‘New Labour and the Labour Market, CMPO Working Paper Series 00/19 Table 5

8 ESDS Government Led by CCSR and working closely with the UKDA UKDA will continue to be responsible for acquisition of data and dissemination –dissemination mainly on-line/ much via NESSTAR CCSR will cover added value: –Promotion, user guides, training materials, workshops, teaching datasets etc

9 ONS and user interaction Developments at ONS – increase in metadata – improved web-site – research on quality, e.g LFS Benefit and influence Interaction with research community Annual ‘themed’ research conference

10 So, what are our initial plans? Theme based approach Year 1: Employment and labour market Year 2: Health Year 3: Social exclusion Inform user guides, teaching datasets etc Other activities will continue across all areas

11 Highlighting research potential Generating new users, –especially PhD students, younger researchers Awareness raising, e.g. PhD supervisors Conference presentations, talks to graduate schools, articles in newsletters and journals Twice yearly newsletters

12 Workshops and short courses A number of half-day/1-day courses including: theme-based methods related E.g. hierarchical data SPSS/ STATA data analysis methods new methods/opportunities

13 Workshops for new users Survey suggested need for workshops on how to get started, e.g: –which dataset do I need? –How do I register? –How do I get the data? –How do I set about analysis? Oxford 12 th June; Manchester 21 st July; planning others Convert to on-line resource

14 Web-based user guides Themed introductory guides –Year 1, employment and labour market Guides on methodological topics –hierarchical data –linking records in QLF –weighting –harmonization Link to ONS publications and other sources Web-based FAQs

15 Searchable indexes Creating searchable indexes of variables –common across datasets & consistent over time harmonisation –geographically referenced variables Linked to Common GIS: interactive web- based exploration and visualization tool for data with sub-regional geography.

16 Key derived variables Key derived variables for annual theme –database of contextual variables for each year (e.g ) regional/national rates of unemployment, RPI, interest rate –dvs to provide comparability with 2001 census

17 Opportunities and threats Registration and Access –faster, easier access important –use of web to register and download datasets Exploring data –use of NESSTAR to allow web-based browsing –need better web-based documentation Confidentiality concerns –ONS: absolute safety of their data –cut against easier access but ONS supportive

18 National user support and discussion lists ESDS Government helpdesk –(0161) ESDS Government JISCmail –send the following message to ‘subscribe esds-govsurveys ’ Join the mailing list –

19 Coming up………. Friday July 11 th Health Surveys meeting, RSS Monday 21 st July Introductory workshop, Manchester Tuesday October 21 st, LFS User Group, RSS