Research Data Access Resources: Social Sciences
This research guide identifies electronic datasets to support statistical research in the social sciences.
Overview
This section of the research guide identifies electronic datasets to support statistical research in a wide range of social science subjects, including
- children and families
- crime and justice
- education
- politics and political attitudes
- public opinion
- race and ethnicity
- sexuality
- social attitudes and values.
Social science data are primarily data gathered from social surveys, polls, interviews, experiments, census or administrative records. Essential for researchers in conducting quantitative and qualitative social research, social science data are commonly used for secondary analyses, testing theories and hypotheses, methodology evaluations, longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.
For a list of subject specialists covering these topics, please see the library's list of subject specialists..
Children and Families
- American Time Use Survey Data Extract Builder"A project dedicated to making it easy for researchers to use data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). The ATUS is an ongoing time diary study, started in 2003, that is funded by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and fielded by the U.S. Census Bureau. It provides detailed information about the activities in which respondents engage together with extensive information about the characteristics of those respondents and other members of their households."
- Current Population SurveyA monthly survey of approximately 50,000 households conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey has been conducted for more than 50 years. A detailed demographic supplement is conducted annually in March, and supplements on other topics, including computer use and school enrollment.
- Early Childhood Longitudinal StudyThe Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) program includes two longitudinal studies that examine child development, school readiness, and early school experiences. The birth cohort (ECLS-B) is a sample of children born in 2001 and followed from birth through kindergarten entry. The kindergarten cohort class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K) is a sample of children followed from kindergarten through the eighth grade.
- Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing StudyThis study follows a birth cohort of mostly unwed parents and their children over a five-year period. The study was designed to provide information on unwed parents, as well as the effects of policies on family formation and child wellbeing.
- HUD USER (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)HUD USER provides interested researchers with access to the original data sets generated by PD&R-sponsored data collection efforts, including the American Housing Survey, HUD median family income limits, as well as microdata from research initiatives on topics such as housing discrimination, the HUD-insured multifamily housing stock, and the public housing population.
- Kids Count Data from the The Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF)The AECF is a non-profit organization that works on behalf of disadvantaged children and collects data on benchmarks of child well-being.
- Murray Research ArchiveTopics well-represented in the archive include sexual orientation, gender roles and the status of women, race, and socio-economic status. Application may need to be made directly to the Murray Research Archive for permission to use the data.
- National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA)NACDA,"located within ICPSR, is funded by the National Institute on Aging. NACDA's mission is to advance research on aging by helping researchers to profit from the under-exploited potential of a broad range of datasets...NACDA acquires and preserves data relevant to gerontological research, processing as needed to promote effective research use, disseminates them to researchers, and facilitates their use.
- National Data Archive on Child Abuse and NeglectThe National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect at Cornell University focuses on the field of child maltreatment. NDACAN acquires microdata from leading researchers and national data collection efforts and makes the datasets available to the research community for secondary analysis. NOTE: Application must be made directly to NDACAN for permission to use the data.
- National Household Education Surveys (NHES)These surveys cover learning at all ages, from early childhood to school age to adulthood. Surveys include adult education (1991, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003), early childhood program participation (1991, 1995, 1999, 2001), and parent and family involvement in education (1996, 1999, 2003) among others.
- National Survey of America's FamiliesThis survey provides a comprehensive look at the well-being of children and adults, identifying differences among the 13 states which have been studied in depth: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Sample of over 40,000 families per round.
- National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH)This is a longitudinal population-based survey of families and households in the United States designed to look at the causes and consequences of changes in family and household structure. Three survey waves are available: Wave 1: 1987-1988; Wave 2: 1992-1994; Wave 3: 2001-2002. (Citation information for each wave is available on the survey's home page.)
- National Survey of Family GrowthThis survey "gathers information on family life, marriage and divorce, pregnancy, infertility, use of contraception, and men's and women's health."
- Panel Study of Income Dynamics - PSID"A national study of socioeconomics and health over lifetimes and across generations...The study began in 1968 with a nationally representative sample of over 18,000 individuals living in 5,000 families in the United States. Information on these individuals and their descendants has been collected continuously, including data covering employment, income, wealth, expenditures, health, marriage, childbearing, child development, philanthropy, education, and numerous other topics."
- Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF)The SCF is "a triennial survey of the balance sheet, pension, income, and other demographic characteristics of U.S. families. The survey also gathers information on the use of financial institutions. The links to the surveys provide summary results, codebooks and other documentation, and the publicly available data."
Social Attitudes and Values
- Biennial Media Consumption Survey 1998 - 2002Data on the public's use of, and attitudes toward, the Internet and traditional news outlets. Respondents are asked questions concerning their use of newspapers, television news, radio news, and news magazines.
- British Social Attitudes Survey Series, 1983+Began in 1983, and has been conducted every year since, except in 1988 and 1992. Designed to produce annual measures of attitudinal shifts.
- Eurobarometer Survey SeriesLarge set of surveys measuring public opinion in the countries of the European Union, on a wide variety of topics.
- European Values Study (EVS)EVS "was initiated by the European Value System Study Group (EVSSG) in the late 1970s. It is a large-scale, cross-national, and longitudinal survey research program on how Europeans think about family, work, religion, politics and society. Four waves of surveys were administered from 1981 to 2008 in an increasing number of countries. The surveys explore value differences, similarities, and value changes."
- General Social Survey (GSS)The GSS contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. The GSS takes the pulse of America, and is a unique and valuable resource.
- German Social Survey. 1980+Monitors social trends in Germany. Each data collection focuses on special topics of investigation. Basic demographic and socioeconomic data also are collected on the respondents, who are German-speaking persons 18 years of age and older. Conducted biennially since 1980. Before 1991, respondents were chosen from the Federal Republic of Germany and West Berlin only, and since 1991 from all of Germany.
- International Social Survey Program (ISSP)ISSP is an ongoing program of crossnational collaboration. Formed in 1984, the ISSP group develops topical modules dealing with important areas of social science as supplements to regular national surveys. Every survey includes questions about general attitudes toward various social issues such as the legal system, sex, and the economy. Special topics have included the environment, the role of government, social inequality, etc.
- Monitoring the Future (MTF) Series"The Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth annual surveys were designed to explore changes in important values, behaviors, and lifestyle orientations of contemporary American youth."
- Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center is an independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues.
- World Database of Happiness: States of NationsIncludes summary information from social surveys indicating levels of happiness in about 90 countries around the world, along with data on possible causal factors. Data sets available at States of Nations and Trends in Nations.
- World Values SurveyThe series is designed to enable a cross-national comparison of values and norms on a wide variety of topics and to monitor changes in values and attitudes across the globe. A variety of questions on religion and morality were included.
Education
- Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)The Civil Rights Data Collection collects data on key education and civil rights issues in our nation's public schools for use by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), other Department of Education offices, and other policymakers and researchers. This data collection provides information about students in public elementary and secondary schools on a variety of indicators, including enrollment, access to educational programs or services, and academic proficiency.
- Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of ChicagoThe Consortium conducts research on Chicago's public schools, the problems they face, and the mechanisms for improvement. Includes surveys of students, teachers, and principals, and compiles test scores, grade files and administrative histories. The archive also houses additional data including census data for Chicago, crime statistics, administrative history, data on students, and detailed information on 363 Chicago neighborhoods.
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)IPEDS is a system of surveys designed to collect data from all primary providers of postsecondary education. Study components include earned degrees/completions, fall enrollment, staff, finance, institutional characteristics, salaries, tenure, and fringe benefits of full-time instructional faculty.
- Milwaukee Parental Choice ProgramThis was the first program in the United States to provide major subsidies to private schools as part of a general voucher program. The data were collected as part of the annual evaluation of this program.
- Monitoring the FutureMonitoring the Future is an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults. Each year, a total of some 50,000 8th, 10th and 12th grade students are surveyed. A number of questions on drug use are asked.
- National Education Longitudinal Study 1988A sample of eighth-graders surveyed in 1988 on a range of topics. A sample were resurveyed through four follow-ups in 1990, 1992, 1994, and 2000. The study has four types of data files - student, teacher, parent, and school - although note each type is available for each survey year.
- National Household Education Surveys (NHES)These surveys cover learning at all ages, from early childhood to school age to adulthood. Surveys include adult education (1991, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003), early childhood program participation (1991, 1995, 1999, 2001), and parent and family involvement in education (1996, 1999, 2003) among others.
- National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 and 1997The National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth are designed to document the transition from school to work and into adulthood. They collect extensive information about youths' labor market behavior and educational experiences over time. Data are also available from SSDS.
- National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) SeriesThe National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey (NPSAS) provides information on how postsecondary student financial aid is targeted, received, and used. A significant component of the NPSAS is the Student Loan Recipient Transcript Survey, which collected postsecondary-school transcripts for Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) recipients who were surveyed in the Student Loan Recipient Survey (SLRS).
- Resource Center for Minority Data (ICPSR)"The mission for the Resource Center for Minority Data (RCMD) is to provide educators, researchers, and students with data resources so that they can produce analysis of issues affecting racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States."
- School District Demographics Systems (SDDS)"The purpose of SDDS is to help community leadership, educators, researchers and analysts, libraries and information providers, students, and the public to access and use demographic data to help them better understand current demographic characteristics, patterns and change taking place, as well as plan for improved educational programs and opportunities."
- Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS)A survey of the characteristics and conditions of America's public and private schools and the teachers and principals who work in them.
- Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data SystemIn addition to SESTAT, a comprehensive and integrated system of information about the employment, educational, and demographic characteristics of scientists and engineers, this site also makes available several surveys of recipients of higher education.
- Texas Higher Education Opportunity Project (THEOP)A multi-year study that investigates college planning and enrollment behavior under a policy that guarantees admission to any Texas public college or university to high school seniors who graduate in the top decile of their class.
- The Common Core of DataAnnual, national statistical database of information about public elementary and secondary schools (e.g., enrollment by grade, student characteristics, number of teachers) and school districts (e.g., number of students, number of high school graduates in the previous year).
- The National Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education. As such there are a number of longitudinal studies available on the NCES web site as well as at ICPSR.
- Utah Government Data SetsA variety of data files and sources for Utah
Politics and Political Attitudes
- 1991 National Race and Politics SurveyThe 1991 National Race and Politics Survey was a nationwide telephone survey carried out by the Survey Research Center of the University of California, Berkeley. Respondents were asked questions about welfare, race relations, altruism, and members of other races.
- American National Election Studies 1948-Survey of voting behavior in the United States, conducted biennially since 1956. Basic questions on religious identification and attendance at religious services have been asked throughout the time series, but the religion module was widened starting in 1990. Contains links to download all the data.
- American Public Opinion and US Foreign Policy SeriesThis series of quadrennial studies was designed to investigate the opinions and attitudes of the general public and a select group of opinion leaders on matters relating to United States foreign policy and to define the parameters of public opinion within which decision-makers must operate. Data covers 1975-2004.
- Annual Survey of GovernmentsFrom the U. S. Census Bureau website's Federal, State, and Local Governments Finances page. For data from 1973-1992, go to the ICPSR web site.
- Biennial Media Consumption Survey 1998 - 2002Data on the public's use of, and attitudes toward, the Internet and traditional news outlets. Respondents are asked questions concerning their use of newspapers, television news, radio news, and news magazines.
- British General Election StudiesRrepresentative probability sample surveys in the country designed to explore the changing determinants of electoral behavior in contemporary Britain. The link above is to the surveys from 1969 through 1997. ICPSR also holds the earlier surveys starting in 1963.
- Canadian National Election Study SeriesCanadian National Election Surveys for 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1984, 1988, 1993, 1997, 2000. Also includes the 1974-1979-1980 Quebec Referendum Panel Study and the 1992 Referendum Survey on the Charlottetown Accord.
- Comparative Study of Electoral SystemsThe Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) is a collaborative program of cross-national research among election studies conducted in over fifty states.
- Eurobarometer Survey Series. 1970+Large set of surveys measuring public opinion in the countries of the European Union, on a wide variety of topics.
- Federal Election CommissionDetailed data on campaign contributions and expenditures by candidates, parties, and committees.
- German Election StudiesIn federal election years, the German Politbarometer is considered part of the German Election Study. However, in some election years when funding is not awarded, election studies are not carried out. 1969+
- National Black Election StudiesThe purpose of this data series was to provide large-scale scientific surveys and make possible in-depth investigation of the political attitudes, perceptions, and electoral behaviors of a large, representative national sample of adult Black Americans. The studies permit analyses and change in the Black community on a scale that had not been possible before the series began.
- Pew Hispanic CenterA non-partisan research organization to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos' growing impact on the United States. Downloadable datasets include the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Politics and Civic Participation, the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Education, and the 2002 National Survey of Latinos
- Political Events Project, 1948-1965Contains data on 6,754 political instability events in 84 selected nations in the period 1948-1965. The variables in the dataset are divided into four basic types: variables that identify events, classify events, describe events, and evaluate events.
- Polity IV: Political Regime Characteristics and TransitionsThis Web site contains information on and access to the most recent update of the Polity data series, originally designed by Ted Robert Gurr. The Polity IV Project continues the Polity research tradition of coding the authority characteristics of states in the world system for purposes of comparative, quantitative analysis.
- United States Congressional Biographical Data from ICPSRThe data provide information on congressional service and selected biographical characteristics for each person who had served in the United States Congress in the period 1789-1996.
- United States Historical Election ReturnsICPSR's holdings of historical election returns data cover the years 1788-1990 and consist of several discrete datasets that contain county- and state-level returns for all elections to the offices of president, governor, United States senator, and United States representative.
Crime and Justice
- Federal Justice Statistics Resource CenterThe Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), through its Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center (FJSRC), compiles information describing suspects and defendants processed in the Federal criminal justice system.
- International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS) SeriesAvailable through ICPSR, the ICVS is a collection of surveys of householders' experience with crime, policing, crime prevention, and feelings of insecurity in a large number of nations. Sample size is generally, 1,000 - 2,000 households from each participating country.
- National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at ICPSRThe NACJD preserves and distributes computerized crime and justice data from Federal agencies, state agencies, and investigator initiated research projects. They have a collection of online Resource Guides that highlight popular criminal justice research topic.
- National Crime Victimization Survey @ ICPSRPreviously called the National Crime Survey (NCS), has been collecting data on personal and household victimization since 1973. An ongoing survey, conducted twice each year, of a nationally representative sample of residential addresses.
- Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities @ ICPSRInformation on demographic, socioeconomic, and criminal history characteristics of inmates including: age, ethnicity, education, gun possession and use, lifetime drug use and alcohol use and treatment, prior incarceration record, and prearrest annual income and details of inmates' military service records. Data on characteristics of victims are provided as well.
- UN Surveys of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice SystemsThe surveys were started in 1977, covering five-year intervals from 1970-1994. Starting in 1995 surveys cover two- or three-year intervals. Sample Size: The number of participating countries varies by sweep.
- Violence Against Women Resource GuideA guide to data useful for the study of violence against women available from the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data at ICPSR.
- Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities, 2013This report links to current tribal statistical reports on crime and jails.
Public Opinion
- AfrobarometerAn independent research project that measures the social, political and economic atmosphere in Africa. During Round 1, from July 1999 through June 2001, Afrobarometer surveys were conducted in 12 countries. Round 2 surveys were conducted from May 2002 through October 2003 in 15 countries. Round 3 surveys in 18 countries are planned for 2005-6. Survey microdata are released to the public two years after the first publication of a survey's results. Available through ICPSR.
- American National Election StudiesThe principal survey of voting behavior in the United States, conducted biennially since 1956. Basic questions on religious identification and attendance at religious services have been asked throughout the time series, but the religion module was substantially widened and improved starting in 1990. Contains links to download all the data.
- American Public Opinion and US Foreign Policy SeriesThis series of quadrennial studies was designed to investigate the opinions and attitudes of the general public and a select group of opinion leaders on matters relating to United States foreign policy and to define the parameters of public opinion within which decision-makers must operate. Data cover 1975-2004.
- Canadian Opinion Research ArchiveFounded in 1992, the CORA contains hundreds of surveys collected by major commercial Canadian firms dating back to the 1970s. Most of the datasets are not available for direct download but access to the archive may be requested.
- Eurobarometer Survey Series. 1970+Large set of surveys measuring public opinion in the countries of the European Union, on a wide variety of topics. Eurobarometer Question Search Online search tool for finding whether and when a topic was covered on the Eurobarometer surveys.
- Jpoll - The Roper Center's Japanese Data ArchiveJPOLL contains more than 10,000 public opinion questions and the respective responses from Japan's major survey research sources. These studies cover social, political, and economic topics throughout the current decade. Restricte to NU.
- Latin American Databank at RoperThe Latin American Databank at the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research locates, acquires, processes and archives public opinion surveys conducted by the survey research community in Latin America, including universities, institutes, individual scholars, private polling and public opinion research firms. Restricted to NU.
- Odum Institute Public Opinion Poll Question DatabaseThe Odum Institute houses the Louis Harris Data Center, the national depository for publicly available survey data collected by Louis Harris and Associates, Inc. More than 1,200 Harris Polls from as early as 1958 are archived at the Center. Other public opinion data at the Institute include the Carolina Polls and Southern Focus Polls, Gallup polls from the U.S. and other countries, and polls from major broadcasting networks and newspapers.
- Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center is an independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues.
Race and Ethnicity
- 1991 National Race and Politics SurveyThe 1991 National Race and Politics Survey was a nationwide telephone survey carried out by the Survey Research Center of the University of California, Berkeley. Respondents were asked questions about welfare, race relations, altruism, and members of other races.
- 1997 Survey of Chicago African AmericansA telephone survey of African Americans aged 18 years or older, residing in areas of Chicago. The Survey Research Center of the University of California, Berkeley, conducted the survey from February 10 to August 3, 1997. There were 756 completed interviews.
- General Social Survey (GSS)The GSS contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. The GSS takes the pulse of America, and is a unique and valuable resource.
- Latino National Political Survey, 2006This data collection measured the political attitudes and behaviors of three specific Latino groups in the United States: Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban.
- Little Village SurveyLittle Village, a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, is the largest Mexican community in the Midwestern United States. The Little Village Survey consists of business and household surveys. As of July 2005, the household data is being prepared for publication. Sample size is 244 business and 325 household respondents.
- Murray Research Archive - Diversity ArchiveThe Diversity Archive consists of numerous studies with racially and ethnically diverse samples. The Murray Research Archive also houses a number of studies focusing on specific ethnic groups and on ethnic relations. Application needs to be made directly to the Murray Research Archive for permission to use the data.
- National Longitudinal Survey of FreshmenDeveloped to provide comprehensive data to test different theoretical explanations for minority underachievement in higher education of college students at regular intervals. The survey includes equal-sized samples of white, black, Asian, and Latino freshmen entering selective colleges and universities.
- National Survey of Black AmericansNational Survey of Black Americans 1979-1980, 1987-1988, 1988-1989, 1992 (ICPSR)
The survey investigates neighborhood-community integration, services, crime and community contact, the role of religion and the church, physical and mental health, self-esteem, life satisfaction, employment, the effects of chronic unemployment, the effects of race on the job, interaction with family and friends, racial attitudes, race identity, group stereotypes, and race ideology. - Pew Hispanic CenterA non-partisan research organization to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos' growing impact on the United States. Downloadable datasets include the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Politics and Civic Participation, the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Education, and the 2002 National Survey of Latinos
- Resource Center for Minority Data-ICPSRRCMD is a recent initiative of ICPSR. The changing demographic composition has expanded the scope of the U.S. racial and ethnic mosaic. As a result, interest and research on race and ethnicity has become more complex and expansive. Initially, ICPSR tapped its archives to assemble existing data files that focused upon communities of color. Since the late 1990's, there has been a marked increase in studies and projects on more minorities communities and exploring a wider range of experiences and r
- National Black Election StudiesThe purpose of this data series was to provide large-scale scientific surveys and make possible in-depth investigation of the political attitudes, perceptions, and electoral behaviors of a large, representative national sample of adult Black Americans.
Sexuality
- Demographic and Health SurveysThis project is implemented by Macro International and funded by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These country surveys, covering Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, are available for direct downloading. Datasets include information on family planning, maternal and child health, child survival, AIDS, educational attainment, and household composition and characteristics. Users must register and receive a password to download.
- Growth of American Families, 1955-1960Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, opinions on childbearing and childrearing, expectation of further children, etc. Background information such as marital history, education, income, religion, social characteristics, and place of residence was also collected.
- National Fertility Survey, 1965-1975Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, opinions on childbearing and childrearing, desired family size, future childbearing intentions and expectation of further children.
- National Survey of Family GrowthNational Survey of Family Growth (1973, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1995)
Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, desired family size, and expectation of further children.The survey also reports background information about the respondent and her husband, such as education, religion, ethnic origin, occupation, and earnings. - Population Research Center at NORC and The University of ChicagoThis site makes available data from some of the Population Research Center's projects. Interesting datasets include the National Health and Social Life Survey, the Chicago Health and Social Life Survey, and the Chinese Health and Family Life Survey. These surveys profile sexual behavior, demography and health.
- General Social Survey (GSS)The GSS contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. The GSS takes the pulse of America, and is a unique and valuable resource.
Data Repositories
- Child Care and Early Education Research ConnectionsOffers public access to child care and early education research data, some of which have never before been publicly available. Researchers can download analysis-ready data directly to their desktop or analyze selected data online free of charge.
- DSDR: Data Sharing for Demographic ResearchMost of the datasets in the DSDR archive are raw data from surveys, censuses, and administrative records. Topic areas include:
* Fertility
* Mortality
* Health
* Family and Household Structure
* Migration and Immigration
* Population Characteristics
* Population Growth and Decline - The Dataverse Network ProjectAn Open-Source Application for Publishing, Citing and Discovering Research Data
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