Social Science Data Bases CSU Fresno October 30, 2009
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Workshop Agenda Overview of the SSRIC Data Archives ICPSR ICPSR Field Field Roper Roper Other Workshops
SSRIC
The Council Oldest CSU affinity group (since 1972) Representatives from CSU campuses meet three times per year Negotiates with data providers for access to data Promotes use of data analysis in research and teaching
The Council Annual student research conference at Sacramento in 2009 at Sacramento in 2009 at Pomona in 2010 at Pomona in 2010 Sponsors travel to ICPSR summer workshops in Ann Arbor, Michigan Works with Field Research Question credits Question credits Faculty fellow Faculty fellow
Social Science Databases The California State University subscribes to social science databases to support teaching teaching research research administration administration Available to campuses by annual subscription
Social Science Databases Assistance from the SSRIC Note: SSRIC members are not staff data consultants or technical assistance providers, but we will do what we can to help students, faculty and staff to access data Note: SSRIC members are not staff data consultants or technical assistance providers, but we will do what we can to help students, faculty and staff to access data Campus representatives
Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) Field Poll Roper Center for Public Opinion Research Social Science Databases
Accessing the data bases On-campus access to data bases is IP authenticated Off-campus access Field: not available Field: not available Roper: uses library as proxy server -- works just like other library data bases Roper: uses library as proxy server -- works just like other library data bases ICPSR: ICPSR: first time, uses library proxy server first time, uses library proxy server after that, you can access from anywhere but you must reauthenticate every 6 months after that, you can access from anywhere but you must reauthenticate every 6 months
ICPSR Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
ICPSR Primary social science data archive for the U.S. Founded in 1962; CSU joined in 1972 Over 600 member institutions worldwide Over 600 member institutions worldwide600 member institutions 600 member institutions Services Vast data archive accessible via the web (ICPSR Direct) Vast data archive accessible via the web (ICPSR Direct) Summer program Summer program Instructional resources Instructional resources
Find data Teaching
Using ICPSR Direct Locate the study Select the data for download Download the data Import the data for statistical analysis
Find and Analyze Data Find data Analyze data online Topical archives
Searching for Data Type in key words (e.g., gun control) Click search Search terms are not case sensitive if all lower case
Search Results Sort by time period (newest) Click on link
Downloading the data View study description Download all files
Agree to the Terms of Use
Saving the Files
Select Folder Where you Want to Save it
Unzip the File The file has been saved as a zip file Unzip it by double clicking on the file name (xxxxx.zip) Extract all the files
What’s in the File? Look in the layers of subfolders until you find the DS0001 folder It will include the: Codebook (pdf file) Questionnaire (pdf file) SPSS file (in this case, it’s a.sav file) Other files
Open the File in SPSS
Other Types of Files you Might Encounter SPSS portable (.por) files Will work on all platforms Will work on all platforms Tell SPSS to look for a.por file Tell SPSS to look for a.por file Raw data (ASCII) file with SPSS syntax (.sps) file You’ll have to create your own.sav file You’ll have to create your own.sav file See next slide See next slide Raw data file with only a codebook You’ll have to create your own syntax file You’ll have to create your own syntax file SPSS Intro workshop discusses how to do this SPSS Intro workshop discusses how to do this
What’s a Syntax File? A syntax file is a set of commands to convert a raw ASCII data file into an SPSS system file ASCII + SPSS syntax file = SPSS system file For More Information:
Other ICPSR Resources SSRIC ICPSR Guide SSRIC ICPSR Guide SSRIC ICPSR Guide ICPSR Data Use Tutorial ICPSR Data Use Tutorial ICPSR Data Use Tutorial Social Science Variables Database Social Science Variables Database Social Science Variables Database
The Field Poll
The Field (California) Poll Established in 1947 Independent, non-partisan survey of California public opinion Wide range of political and social topics Multiple polls each year Mervin Field
Accessing Field Data Set up your browser Find polls and data sets Download data sets
Setting up your browser Requires setting passive FTP access Can set up browser for folder view or FTP directory view See the instructions for details: You will only need to do this once for your browser and user account
Finding Polls Find the poll number News Releases ( News Releases ( American Public Opinion Index American Public Opinion Index Check with your library for printed and/or microfiche versions Check with your library for printed and/or microfiche versions The CALPOLL window The CALPOLL window Accessible via UCData Accessible via UCData You will be using the poll number to select the data set for download.
Searching Polls with UCDATA Uses SDA Does not include last couple of years Gives you the frequency distributions of the variables you select
UC Data Click on Field Polls
Field Polls on UCDATA Click on search
Searching I selected 2000’s
Keywords Enter gun control
Search Results Click View
Results from SDA
Downloading the Data Click Download
Choosing the File Double click cal0003 since you want to download that folder Note that this is directory view
Saving the Files
Select the Folder
Open the Data in SPSS 1 2
Other Field Resources SSRIC Field Poll Guide SSRIC Field Poll Guide SSRIC Field Poll Guide Field News Releases and California Opinion Indexes Field News Releases and California Opinion Indexes Field News Releases and California Opinion Indexes
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
Access to iPOLL Access to Roper Express Data
Searching for Data Sets Click Quick Links Then click search for datasets
Searching for Data Sets Specify Keywords Keywords Date range Date range Country Country
Searching for Data Sets Enter keywords (gun control)
Search Results Clicking here brings up study description Study available on Roper Express
Study Description
Downloading the Files Study documentation Download SPSS Portable (.por) file Frequencies
What if nothing is available? Some documentation and/or data sets are not available on-line. If you are interested in one of these, the survey number and the title to: Ed Nelson at
Saving the File
Where to Save it
Opening the.por file in SPSS Note that I have told SPSS to look for a.por file
SPSS File
iPOLL Data base of over 500,000 questions Includes frequency distributions allowing students to do trend analysis online You will not need a user name or password from on- campus, since the CSU will be IP authenticated. You will be prompted for your address
Login to iPOLL Your address is your login
Searching iPOLL Search for keyword Click on Boolean or Wildcard for help Let’s search for relig% (note: % is the wildcard) Select the topic of religion Use date from 1/1/2000 to today’s date
Search
Results Click for question wording and frequencies
Reviewing iPOLL Results
Polls and Polling Resources Polling resources
Polling 101
Other Roper Resources SSRIC Roper Guide SSRIC Roper Guide SSRIC Roper Guide
Other Workshops
Workshops on SPSS SPSS – introductory workshop Creating SPSS data file Transforming data Descriptive statistics SPSS – intermediate workshop Crosstabulations Using means Correlation and regression Charts
Workshop on Online Statistical Analysis SDA (Survey Documentation and Analysis) Requires no site license Extremely easy to learn Excellent for classes where you want to introduce students to statistical analysis Tools available – frequencies, crosstabulations, correlation and regression
Workshop on Data in the Classroom Statistical literacy – issues and examples Causality Experimental and survey design Unintentional consequences Sampling and statistical inference Change over time Where do we get the data?
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