Accessing the NCDS and BCS70 via the

Economic and Social Data Service

Jack KneeshawNCDS/BCS70 workshop 27 October 2004

ESDS Longitudinal

Economic and Social Data Service

• new national data archiving and dissemination service

• provides access and support for key economic and social data

• distributed service, bringing together centres of expertise in data creation, dissemination, preservation and use

• provides seamless and easier access to a range of disparate resources for UK Higher and Further Education sectors

• core archiving services plus four specialist data services

Partners

• UK Data Archive, University of Essex

• Manchester Information and Associated Services (MIMAS), University of Manchester

• Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research (CCSR), University of Manchester

• Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Essex

Specialist data services

• ESDS Government• ESDS International• ESDS Longitudinal • ESDS Qualidata

• Greater emphasis on:―value-added data and documentation―enhanced resource discovery―improved delivery services―service specific help―online support materials―training programme―outreach and promotion

About ESDS Longitudinal

ESDS LongitudinalJoint enterprise:

• UK Data Archive (UKDA)• UK Longitudinal Studies Centre (ULSC)

based at ISER

• supports a range of longitudinal data collections but four ‘core’ collections in particular:

• 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) • British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) • Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) • National Child Development Study (NCDS)

ESDS Longitudinal

In addition to core studies ESDS Longitudinal will also:

• aim to identify other longitudinal datasets for inclusion, e.g. English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and the 1946 Birth Cohort (NSHD)

• via the UKDA, continue to make available other longitudinal studies such as the LFS (2 and 5 quarter), YCS, HALS and BEPS

ESDS Longitudinal

The service already provides:

• a help desk service operated by – email: longitudinal@esds.ac.uk – telephone: +44 (0)1206 872143– JISCmail discussion list: esds-longitudinal@jiscmail.ac.uk

• web-based Frequently Asked Questions

• web-based downloadable data files

• online data in Nesstar to facilitate the browsing of longitudinal datasets (inc. the NCDS and BCS70)

• a series of meetings and workshops for both novice and more advanced users

Data Deposit, Processing, Retrieval and Access

The data themselves - NCDS

The data themselves – BCS70

Data not held at the UKDA

• Some additional data, derived from further minor data collections, data cleaning etc., only available via CLS at present

• These data are added to the UKDA collection from time to time

Ensuring confidentiality

• cohort members promised confidentiality

• datasets deposited with UKDA are fully anonymised

• datasets go through further process of checking at the UKDA

• UKDA users undertake not to identify individuals

Documentation

A variety of NCDS/BCS70 documentation is available, including:

• guides to datasets• lists of publications• annotated questionnaires• interactive data dictionaries• ‘Data Notes’ series• other survey-related documentation, inc. working

papers etc.

Available both from CLS and UKDA web sites.

Retrieval and Access

• web access, via UKDA site, to data and metadata

• documentation (codebooks, questionnaires) freely available to any UKDA user (registered or unregistered)

• data can be browsed and frequencies run by any user (registered or unregistered) using Nesstar

• full datasets are freely available for download for the majority of our registered users

• data supplied in a variety of formats– SPSS – STATA– tab-delimited text

Online access for unregistered users

• UKDA web pages - easy to navigate format– ‘Search catalogue’ facility– subject browsing - e.g. major series – HASSET thesaurus– access to online doc - pdf user guides and

questionnaires

• Nesstar– browse data and metadata for a selection of

data, inc. NCDS and BCS70 – run frequencies

Unregistered users demo

Online access for registered users

Registered users can:

• download full datasets

• order data via online order system

• browse/analyse/download data in Nesstar

To register:

• obtain an Athens ID

• sign and return data access agreement (legal undertaking)

• (to access data) register a usage (formerly a project)

Registered users demo

Nesstar demo

ESDS Longitudinal

+44 (0)1206 872143www.esds.ac.uk/longitudinal

www.data-archive.ac.uknesstar.esds.ac.uk/webview/index.jsp

help@esds.ac.uk