Quantitative data sources Quantitative research Empirical evidencebased research

Quantitative data sources

Quantitative research �Empirical, evidence-based research �Statistical analysis of survey and microdata, eg: Official data Health surveys Election studies �Secondary analysis Use of existing data to test new ideas Verification of existing research

Example �Attitudes to migration �Run your own detailed survey (primary research) European Social Survey c. 1, 200 respondents c. € 300, 000 �Use pre-existing survey (secondary analysis) ESS Round 1 (http: //ess. nsd. uib. no/) Data (available in Stata format) Bibliography of research using the data

Advantages �Efficient use of resources �Ready availability of high-quality data, adhering to professional standards �Data collected for one purpose can, within reason, be reanalysed across a range of other subject areas �Ability to study trends over time

Limitations �Data not always available �Danger of mismatch between primary and secondary uses of data �Availability of documentation �Danger of errors slipping in unnoticed during data collection and processing

Availability of data �Data archives ISSDA: http: //www. ucd. ie/issda ICPSR: http: //www. icpsr. umich. edu/ CESSDA: http: //www. cessda. org �Data producers CSO (2011 Census): http: //www. cso. ie WHO: http: //www. who. int/en/ �Data project websites ESS: http: //www. europeansocialsurvey. org SHARE: http: //www. share-project. org/

ISSDA �Irish Social Science Data Archive �Founded in 2000 as a joint initiative of UCD and the ESRI, with the support of the CSO �Based at Geary Institute until July 2012 �Now part of the UCD Library �Makes quantitative data available to academic and non-profit research sectors �Aim: To facilitate secondary analysis of key quantitative datasets

How it works DATA SUPPLIERS (CSO, ESRI, etc) ISSDA DATA USERS (Students, Researchers, Policymakers … )

Target audience Initial target: � Academic researchers and third level students in social sciences in Ireland Actually: � Researchers working on academic, non-profit, and consultancy projects � Students: Some secondary school requests At all undergraduate and postgraduate levels � Government departments/agencies Across a wide range of subject disciplines Social sciences, business/commerce, psychology, public health, engineering, agriculture, etc. International demand for Irish data – UK, USA, other EU countries

Irish Datasets � Official statistics data: Census Quarterly National Household Survey/Labour Force Survey EU-SILC Household Budget Survey � Data from major government funded research projects: Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) Survey on Lifestyle And Nutrition (SLAN) The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA) Adapting to Diversity Living In Ireland � Irish social science and public health research projects: Irish Social and Political Attitudes Survey Irish Survey of Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy All Ireland Traveller Health Study HRB National Psychological Wellbeing and Distress Survey, 2006 � Commission for Energy regulation Smart Metering Project data � http: //www. issda. ie � issda@ucd. ie � Twitter: @issda

Comparative Datasets �Eurobarometer http: //www. gesis. org/en/eurobarometer/ http: //zacat. gesis. org/webview/ �ISSP http: //www. issp. org http: //zacat. gesis. org/webview/ �European Values Survey http: //www. europeanvaluesstudy. eu/ http: //zacat. gesis. org/ �European Social Survey http: //www. europeansocialsurvey. org http: //nesstar. ess. nsd. uib. no/webview/ �CESSDA member catalogues http: //www. cessda. org

ICPSR �http: //www. icpsr. umich. edu

ICPSR

Accessing data �ISSDA Large scale datasets currently shipped on CD-ROM Some data available online via Nesstar http: //nesstar. ucd. ie/webview– requires password Documentation available in Acrobat format via the web http: //www. issda. ie �ICPSR go to http: //www. icpsr. umich. edu from a campus PC to set up an account and download data �ESS Go to http: //nesstar. ess. nsd. uib. no/webview/ - requires registration �EB/EVS/ISSP Go to http: //zacat. gesis. org/webview/ - requires registration

Selection of MA projects (i) �Charitable giving/ volunteering in Ireland �Child poverty in Ireland �Social structures vs. individual attitudes and how they affect labour market outcomes of Irish women �Analysis of the status and situation of the Irish Language �Dietary Habits, Physical Activity Participation levels and body mass index measurements among leaving cert students.

Selection of MA projects (ii) �Carbon tax policies as a method of reducing energy usage for Transport �Analysing differentials of immigrants in Ireland across other EU countries �Effects of declining enrolment on secondary schools �Ethnicity and early school leaving

Ph. D requests (i) �Profile of mental health and well being in young people �‘Middling’ migration in a globalising city: a study of Polish migrants in Dublin �Analysis on the well-being of children and the factors affecting well-being at school �Language change in Co. Donegal

Ph. D requests(ii) �An analysis of the evolution of the black economy in Ireland over the last 20 years, using consumer demands approaches �Examination of income equalities in the utilisation of preventive screening services under the broad umbrella of preventive health behaviour �Higher education participation in the Republic of Ireland �Analysis of low-income households

Qualitative research n Irish Qualitative Data Archive, NUIM n http: //www. iqda. ie