Standard Data Archive Product Features

The Basics: Available Files, Documents, and Software

  • Eight machine-readable data and command files, including raw data; complete SPSS (windows and unix) and SAS program (command) statements; SPSS dictionary; SPSS frequencies; SPSS portable file; SAS transport file; and a PDF Users Guide.
  • A printed and bound User's Guide accompanies each data set. The guide is composed of a standard set of sections and subsections that describe the survey from which the data originate; display all variable names and labels, organized by Topic and Type; display a crosstabulation of Topics and Types in the data set; provide frequencies for approximately 20 key variables that are included in most data sets (e.g., race, gender, marital status, etc.); provide the results of illustrative data completeness and consistency checks; and provide additional documentation and user notes as needed. Optional purchase of the original instruments is offered for each data set.
  • Variables in each archive have each been coded into one of approximately 50 "Topics", e.g., Child Care, Health, Occupation, Sexuality, and one of 17 "Types", e.g., Attitude, Behavior, History. The code for each variable's Topic, Type, and study number (a reference to its study of origin) is embedded in that variable's unique 8-character name. Each variable has been labelled in standard format and can be searched by Topic, Type, study, variable label (question), value label (answer), or any combination thereof.
  • SPSS Windows command files and SPSS Portable files are available for nearly all of Sociometrics data archives (DAAPPP datasets 01-B1 are not included). You can download SPSS Windows command files from our public ftp site (ftp://www.socio.com/pub/SPSS_win). All of the SPSS Windows files are grouped together by archive. Go to the archive of interest, e.g., MDA for Maternal Drug Abuse data archive, then shift + click on the command file you wish to download. For example, the SPSS windows command file for MDA dataset 13 is MDA13.SPW.

Linked, Electronic Instrument Archive

CD-ROM versions of the complete collection and most individual data sets also include linked, electronic images of the data collection instruments employed in archived data sets. This innovative electronic link between the variables and their respective instruments allows users to better understand actual variable content and context by viewing original instrument items.

In addition to viewing the page of the original data collection instrument containing any variable of interest, users can browse entire instruments or specified instrument sections.

Supplementary Documentation

  • Original instrument (printed): an additional cost
  • Original Codebook (printed): an additional cost

Choice of Platform and Operating System

  • PC
  • Macintosh
  • UNIX

Choice of medium

  • Diskette (3.5 inch), for smaller datasets
  • CD-ROM
  • Download

Affordable Pricing

  • $150-$225 per data set;
  • $550-$1,295 per data archive;
  • The entire Social Science Electronic Data Library is available via an affordable online subscription from Thomson Gale, our SSEDL distribution partner.

Advantages

Although some of the data sets are available from the original investigators, when you get them from Sociometrics they come with several advantages:

  1. Your data acquisition time is greatly reduced.
  2. The data sets are clean and complete, including value labels and missing data codes.
  3. Preparing data for analysis is quick and easy.
  4. This attention to value-added features has been highly regarded by professionals and consumers in the field of social science. A recent example is a presentation in Scotland at an international conference on data archives and documentation, which included the following:

    The data, documentation, and User's Guides produced by the Sociometrics Corporation... reflect the quality that can be achieved when the aim is for maximum user friendliness of data and documentation. The documents accompanying their studies are the closest thing to archival works of art I have seen. ... extraordinary effort is made to document individual variables to promote ease of use. Effort is made to further facilitate use of the data by offering numerous media options and retrieval software. (from The Need for Revised Data Documentation Standards: New Solutions for Old Problems; Laura A. Guy; University of Wisconsin-Madison; May 13, 1993).

Exceptions:

  1. Older DAAPPP/NATASHA datasets do not include SAS setup statements, although such statements can be purchased separately.
  2. DAAPPP/NATASHA data sets do not include a linked instrument archive.