IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Comparative Survey Research and Study Documentation Needs The Data Archive Perspective Brigitte Hausstein GESIS/Central Archive for Empirical Social Research, Cologne/Berlin

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Topics 1. Comparative Survey Research 2. Study Documentation and Metadata 3. Documenting a Comparative Survey Series

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Comparative Survey Research  identify  analyse  explain similarities and differences across societies Comparative research methods are used in cross-cultural studies to:

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Comparative Survey Research “… are methodological and strategically much more important than other studies: They offer a much better basis for serious and systematic consideration of comparability comparability and equivalence issues, issues, of questions about the logic of cross-national and cross-culture research research design, and of the organizational options options in such undertakings.” Rokkan (1969): Comparative surveys

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Comparative Survey Research  Eurobarometer  European/World Values Survey (WVS/EVS)  International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) More recently:  European Social Survey (ESS)  Central and Eastern Eurobarometer (CEEB)  Candidate Countries Barometer (CCEB)  New Democracy Barometer (NDB)  Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES)  Latinobarometer  Afrobarometer  Asiabarometer

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Study Documentation 1. Internal project documentation (data producers) 2. Secondary analysis (data users) Exhaustive enough for others  to evaluate or replicate the findings  to be able to use the data for their own research

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Data Producer: Codes of Best Practice Manuals for survey quality management and Codes of Best Practice provided by professional associations such as:  American Association for Public Opinion Research (  ESOMAR (  British Market Research Quality Standard Association (

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Study Documentation Social science data archives have Social science data archives have standard requirements for documentation of studies that are related to their role as holders and publisher of data.

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Bridge between Data Producers and Users 1. Users rarely engaged in creation of a data set 2. Other research purpose than intended by the creators (secondary analysis) 3. Use of data many years after they were created 4. Comparing and combining data from different sources

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Adding Value to Data Collections  Cleaning procedures to ensure their integrity  Software dependencies are stripped away  Comprehensive computer-readable metadata are developed  Integration and harmonization of data from comparative surveys  Electronic search and retrieval systems (catalogues)  Interactive statistical laboratories

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Why High Quality Metadata?  Metadata is vital for any research discovery  Metadata provides the maps that are needed to navigate a complex data source  Bridge between data producers and users  Metadata might provide links to reports, further studies, relevant persons and institutions

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Main Components of Metadata 1. Catalogue/study description 2. Codebook/data dictionary 3. User Guide Over the years many initiatives to create metadata standards

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Data Documentation Initiative (1) 1994: International program to produce a metadata specification for the description of social science data resources 2000: First official version of the DDI Specification 2003: Version : Version 3.0

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Data Documentation Initiative (2) DDI is an effort to establish an international criterion and methodology for content  presentation  transportation and  preservation of metadata about datasets in social sciences. Development of a Document Type Definition (DTD) for “marking up” codebooks

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Documenting Comparative Survey Series ZA CODEBOOKEXPLORER May 2004 Version 3.2 W.Zenk-Möltgen Zentralarchiv für Empirische Sozialforschung an der Universität zu Köln, Germany  European Values Survey Database 1999  Central and Eastern Eurobarometer  Candidate Countries Barometer  Childhood, Youth and Growing Up  Continuity Guide to German National Elections  European Voter

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 CEEB CodebookExplorer CD ROM Version Study View CEEB TREND View Country View

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 CEEB CodebookExplorer CD ROM Version

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 CEEB CodebookExplorer CD ROM Version

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 CEEB CodebookExplorer Internet Version

IISP Conference: From National Archives towards United Structure of Social Science. Moscow, December 9, 2005 Thanks for your attention!