1. An Introduction to the Social Science Databases
Social Sciences Research and Instructional Council
California State University, Fullerton September 24, 2005

2. Facilitators Ed Nelson, Sociology CSU Fresno
John Korey, Political Science Cal Poly, Pomona
Mike Reibel, Geography Cal Poly, Pomona

3. Acknowledgements
{Add names and affiliations}

4. Workshop Agenda Overview Using ICPSR data and its web site
Using Field data and the Berkeley archive
Using Roper data
Using the data for teaching
A Brief Introduction to SPSS
Lunch
Individual questions and help

5. SSRIC The Social Sciences Research and Instructional Council
Oldest CSU discipline council
Founded in 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

6. SSRIC The Social Sciences Research and Instructional Council
1. Sponsors an annual spring student research conference (at CSUN in 2006)
2. Sponsors travel to ICPSR summer workshops in Ann Arbor, MI
3. Works with Field Research
Allocates question credits to California Field Poll
Selects a faculty fellow
Selects a student intern

7. Social Science Databases
The California State University subscribes to a number of social science databases
To support
Teaching
Research
Administration
Available to campuses by annual subscription

8. SSRIC Website http://www.ssric.org

9. 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
Campus representative:
{Name & contact for specific campus}
Other council members:
{update link to web page w/ SSRIC contact info}

10. Social Science Data Bases
Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
Field data
Roper data

11. ICPSR Primary social science data archive for the U.S.
Founded in 1962, CSU joined in 1972
Currently over 500 member institutions worldwide
Services
Vast data archive accessible via web engine (ICPSR Direct)
Summer program
Instructional resources

13. ICPSR Data Access Data use tutorial Finding data
Social science variables database
Special topic archives
Online Data Analysis (DAS)
SIMI

14. Using ICPSR Direct Locate the data you want to download
Click on Data Access & Analysis
Under Search, type in the key words
Census

15. Using ICPSR Direct Locate the data you want to download
Select search options: all fields, title, or study/no.
Click on search
Census

16. Using ICPSR Direct

17. Using ICPSR Direct
Advanced Search
Census

18. Selecting the Study to Download
Select the study you want to download
For each study, you will see links to description, downloads, and related literature
Click on download

19. Downloading the Data
You will be asked for your address and your password
If you don’t have a password, click on create account and create your password

20. Downloading the Data
You will be asked to complete a brief form the first time you use ICPSR Direct
If you forget your password, there is a place to click and it will be ed to you

21. Select the files to download under Step 2
Select the files to download under Step 2. by clicking on the box or boxes
Select Step 3. Add to data cart
Select Step 4. Review cart

22. If all is OK select the Download Data Cart button

24. Accessing ICPSR Direct from Off Campus {Only If Set Up Locally}
This works just like library data bases such as J-Stor or Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe.
Go to: {Insert campus specific library database access URL}
Click on “ICPSR,” and log in with your name, ID, and Library PIN.

25. Resources
Data use tutorial

26. Resources
Ilona Einowski’s article on ICPSR Direct
Ilona Einowski’s article on ICPSR Direct

27. Accessing the Field Poll

28. The Field (California) Poll http://www.field.com
Established in 1947
Independent, non-partisan survey of California public opinion
Mervin Field
Wide range of political and social topics
Multiple polls each year

29. Accessing Field Data
News Releases and California Opinion Indexes are text summaries
Working with the poll data requires obtaining the poll data sets
CSU accesses Field data sets through UCData at U.C. Berkeley

30. Accessing Field Data Accessing data involves: Setting up your browser
Finding polls and data sets
Downloading data sets

31. Setting up your browser
Requires setting passive FTP access
Optionally set up for folder view or FTP directory view
See the handout for details
You will only need to do this once for your browser and user account

32. Accessing UCData for Download
Go to the UCData web site (
Click the Data link on the left side
Click the CSU Only/Field Polls link in the FTP navigation column (left side)

33. Accessing UCData for Download
tuition

34. For folder view
Open the corresponding folder/directory in the Retrieve Data window
Open the files by double clicking
Point out the different elements on the page.
The CSU FTP page will contain include the UC San Diego CALPOLL Index page showing in the center frame, and the Retrieve Data frame showing a list of poll folders/directories.

35. Downloading the Data Sets
For folder view
Download the open file by
choosing the Save option
*You may be able to download
without opening by dragging the
file icons to a folder on your
hard drive.

36. For FTP directory view
Select the folder/directory in the Retrieve Data window.
From the Folder Tasks menu select the Copy this folder option.
Other Copy options will also work.
Point out the different elements on the page.
The CSU FTP page will contain include the UC San Diego CALPOLL Index page showing in the center frame, and the Retrieve Data frame showing a list of poll folders/directories.

37. Finding Data Sets Field News Releases and California Opinion Indexes
The American Public Opinion Index
UC San Diego CALPOLL Index searchable web site
News Releases and California Opinion Indexes provide information about poll questions and results
The American Public Opinion Index also contains information about Field Polls in which specific questions were asked
Can also search the UC San Diego CALPOLL Index site, accessible through UCData

38. Finding the Data Sets Find the poll number
News Releases
American Public Opinion Index
The CALPOLL window
Open the corresponding folder/directory in the Retrieve Data window

39. Using Roper Data

40. Roper Center Home Page http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/
Some links might be useful for class discussions on polling and sampling

41. Searching for Data Sets
Point to Quick Links and then to Search for Data Sets

42. Searching for Data Sets
Specify
Keywords
Date range
Country
Survey organization
religion
1/1/2000
Search for religion from 1/1/2000 to today’s date
in the United States

43. Reviewing the Data Sets
Click on the study number USPEW2003-RELIG for more information
Get more information for Click on the codebook and look at it
If you want to order this data set, write down the survey number and the title

44. Reviewing the Data Sets
To get more information Click on the codebook in the Documentation table and look at it
If you want to order this data set, write down the survey number and the title

45. Ordering the Data Set Coming October 1: RoperExpress
Meantime: Ed Nelson at
Include
Study number
Title

46. 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 since the CSU will be IP authenticated

47. Searching iPOLL Search for keyword
Click on Boolean or Wildcard for help
Let’s search for relig%
Select the topic of religion
Use date from 1/1/2000 to today’s date

48. Reviewing iPOLL Results
Click on the questions you want to view
Click on view selections for the question wording and frequencies

49. Using the Data for Teaching

50. Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA) Program
Written at UC Berkeley
Used by ICPSR and others-- referred to as DAS (Data Analysis System)
Data files must be converted to SDA format before use. ICPSR has converted a number of data sets in their topical archives into SDA format and are converting more.

51. Sources of Data for SDA at ICPSR (http://www.icpsr.com)
Topical Archives sponsored by agencies external to ICPSR
Focus on specific subject areas such as aging and crime
Provide information on data that ICPSR holds and other data sets external to ICPSR
Includes data that can be analyzed online using SDA/DAS

52. National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA)
Funded by the National Institute on Aging
Can search ICPSR’s data holdings.
Online data analysis using SDA/DAS (

53. National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD)
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Institute of Justice
Can search data holdings
Online data analysis using SDA/DAS

54. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive (SAMHDA)
Funded by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration
Can search holdings
Online data analysis using SDA/DAS

55. General Procedure Select study Open window to browse codebook
Select what you want to do
Click on START

56. What Can You Do? Browse codebook Subset data
Download data and documentation
Run statistical procedures

57. Statistical Procedures
Frequencies
Crosstabs
Comparison of means
Correlation matrix
Comparison of correlations
Multiple regression

58. What Else Can You Do? Recode (temporarily) Use control variables
Use filter variables
Use weight variable

59. Example: Monitoring the Future
Note: search for monitoring the future as a phrase
Explores values, behavior, and lifestyles of American youth; focuses on drug use
1975 to present
Investigators: Lloyd D. Johnson, Jerald G. Bachman, Patrick M. O’Malley, and John Schulenberg
Self-administered questionnaire
8th, 10th, and 12th graders
Multistage area probability sample
Students randomly assigned to one of six questionnaires
Core questions -- demographics and drug use

60. Select Study – 2002 Monitoring the Future
You can also find this study by going to the SAMSHA topical archive’s home page:
Click on Online Analysis
Click on Monitoring the Future and click again on Online Analysis
Select Monitoring the Future 2002
(12th grade survey)
(Note: This is ICPSR study number 3753)

61. Monitoring the Future -- Codebook
Open extra codebook window
Click on Group Headings to see variables categorized by topic
Look for variables listed on next slide
Click on variable name (e.g., V150) to see questions and frequencies

62. Monitoring the Future Variables of Interest
Demographics:
V150 (sex)
V151 (race)
V163 (father’s educational level)
V164 (mother’s educational level)
v148 (age)
Educational aspirations:
V183 (graduate from college)
Recreation:
V194 (# of times go out in
evening per week)
V195 (# of dates)
Substance use:
V103 to V108 (alcohol)
V112 to V114 (Marijuana)
V124 to V126 (Cocaine)
Religious variables:
V169 (attend religious services)
V170 (importance of religion)

63. Running Analyses in SDA on SAMHDA
Leave the codebook and go back to the SAMHSA SDA page
Select an action by clicking on the run frequencies circle and clicking on start

64. Teaching Resources Depository http://www.ssric.org/trd

65. POWERMUTT Politically-Oriented, Web-Enhanced Research Methods for Undergraduates: Topics and Tools

66. A Brief Introduction to

67. SPSS Data File Types System Files (*.sps) - run directly in SPSS
Portable files – ascii format; platform independent
File imports – from Excel, Dbase, etc.

68. Syntax Files Batch processing of commands – no Graphic User Interface
For advanced users, provide a quicker way to process commands