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August 30, 2007
From ResourceShelf Blog: Health Information: CDC Wonder Adds New Data and Features, Registration No Longer Needed
By resourceshelf on Uncategorized
News today from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta about the CDC WONDER Database
+ Quick overview from the FAQ:
Wide-ranging OnLine Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) — is an easy-to-use internet system that makes the information resources of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) available to public health professionals and the public at large. It provides access to a wide array of public health information.
Here are just a few highlights from the “What’s New” page:
We’ve identified the list of WONDER system data queries on our home page, since data is what WONDER is all about. The inclusive list of CDC web resources for data is still available, click on the “Topics” tab for a categorized list, or click on the “A-Z Index” tab for an alphabetical list.
Search the entire WONDER site to the searches that already existed for the Scientific Data and Prevention Guidelines document collections. The search includes data request forms and help files along with the document collections, and should greatly enhance the ability to find the data you’re looking for.
and Recently Added Data:
Disease Trends data for 1996 - last week
Mortality data from the CDC 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System as printed in Table III of the MMWR each week.
Morbidity data on provisional cases of selected national notifiable diseases, from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). NNDSS data reported by the 50 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories are collated and published weekly as numbered tables printed in the back of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Cases reported by state health departments to CDC for weekly publication are provisional because of ongoing revision of information and delayed reporting.
Data are updated weekly.
Source: CDC
Posted by ronbo at 04:56 PM
From ACS Alert: American Community Survey Alert, Number 52 (SPECIAL NOTICE)
(released August 30, 2007)
**Notice to all subscribers:
We have updated the links to information released in "American Community Survey Alert, Number 51" (issued August 28, 2007). They are:
Income, Poverty, and Earnings:
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/010583.html.
Federal Register Notice on Proposed ACS Data Products Containing Multiyear Estimates:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-16850.htm.
Posted by ronbo at 02:40 PM
Installing Stata 10 on Windows Vista
This is posted at Stata Support (http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/win/vista_lic.html):
Some users may encounter the following error message when attempting to install Stata on a Windows Vista machine:
I cannot open C:\Program Files\Stata10\STATA.LIC for writing. No Action Taken.
The default Vista permission settings do not allow applications write permissions to their respective install directories, even if you are logged into a machine as administrator. Stata needs these permissions to create its license file.
To get around the problem, you must right-click on the Stata executable in the Stata install directory and select “Run as Administrator” from the right-click menu to open Stata. Then you can enter your authorization information, etc., and Stata will create the proper file.
See also here for solutions to update Stata on Windows Vista.
Posted by yan at 12:57 PM
SPSS 15 and Amos 7 on Windows Vista
SPSS 15 has a number of known issues with Windows Vista. Users of SPSS 15 on Windows Vista should download the SPSS 15 Windows Vista Hotfix patch:
for single users and site license installations of SPSS 15 and Amos 7, the patch is here:
http://support.spss.com/Tech/Products/SPSS/Patches/SPSSforWindows/15VistaHotfixReadme.html
for SPSS 15 Graduate Pack, Career Starter, Faculty Pack, Student Version, and Amos 7.0 Graduate Pack, the patch is here:
http://support.spss.com/Student/Patches/SPSS/15VistaHotfixReadme.html
Posted by yan at 12:49 PM
August 29, 2007
From IES Newsflash: Explore NAEP Questions Interactively With New Tools!
Explore NAEP Questions is a new feature that brings together several tools, providing for a comprehensive, synergistic examination of questions from NAEP assessments. The NAEP Questions Tool, Item Maps, Test Yourself, and scoring information have been expanded and are available through one interface:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itmrls/
For the enhanced QUESTIONS TOOL
* the tool displays released questions, with their content classification, scoring criteria, student sample responses for the constructed-response questions, and detailed data on student responses;
* the Questions Search page has been redesigned and streamlined to make it easier to find specific types of questions;
* information tags provide definitions of search criteria (e.g., mathematical complexity and ability, item difficulty); and
* a new sort function with a percent correct column make it possible for users to sort results according to their interests; and
For the augmented ITEM MAPS
* each item is now marked with a symbol to indicate its content classification;
* users can explore student performance by jurisdiction and student group by selecting Compare Student Groups; and
* users with scaleable vector graphics (SVG is a free download) can see mappings of percentiles in box-and-whisker format in this new Compare Student Groups tool.
For the new TEST YOURSELF,
questions that were actually administered in recent NAEP assessments are brought together. Choose a subject and grade, and try out a few test items yourself. You will find that
* as in the actual assessment, some questions are multiple choice, and others are constructed response;
* users can type answers in the space provided, similar to the way students handwrite responses to constructed-response questions; and
* users will get feedback on their answers and comparison with answers by the nation's students.
Through this new interface, you can also find details of the NAEP scoring process to complement understanding the scoring criteria described in the Questions Tool.
Please return to Explore NAEP Questions each time that new results are released!
Posted by ronbo at 07:40 AM
August 28, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NAEP 2008 Assessments Begin in October Across the Nation
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) will be conducting several assessments that are important to the nation in the 2007-2008 school year. One of these assessments is the NAEP long-term trend assessment, which has measured students' progress in various subjects over a long period of time. Beginning on October 8 and extending through December 14, 2007, selected students at age 13 in public and private schools will take this assessment in mathematics or reading. For selected nine-year-old students, the assessment period runs from January 7 to March 14, 2008. From March 17 to May 23, 2008, students at age 17 will take the assessments. The results from these assessments will be reported in 2009 and will illustrate changes in performance since the early 1970s.
From January 28 through March 7, 2008, selected eighth-graders across the nation will be assessed in the arts, specifically in music or visual arts. The previous NAEP arts assessment was conducted a decade ago.
Field tests for upcoming national and state assessments will also be held during this period. Also this fall there will be a small study involving interactive computer and hands-on science tasks.
There are several resources online with information about NAEP. See the new home page at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
The full participation of all the selected schools and students is crucial to the success of this important assessment. Read about why NAEP is important at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/natimportant.asp
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents/importance.asp
Parents of students participating in the assessment can find answers to frequently asked questions at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents/
Learn how to use the NAEP data tools that help you understand the results of this assessment at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/naeptools.asp
Posted by ronbo at 11:19 AM
From UN Pulse: Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Data Recently Updated
August 23, 2007
The UN Statistics Division has recently updated more than 70 series of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) data and more updates will be uploaded soon.
Related: The UN official Website for MDG Indicators, the UN Millennium Declaration.
Posted by ronbo at 11:06 AM
From American Community Survey Alert: 2006 ACS Data on Income, Poverty, and Earnings; Feedback Solicted on ACS Proposed Multi-year Data Products
Number 51 (released August 28, 2007)
U.S. Census Bureau Releases 2006 American Community Survey Data on Income, Poverty, and Earnings
The Census Bureau today released income, poverty, and earnings data from the 2006 American Community Survey (ACS), in conjunction with the Census Bureau’s annual release of income, poverty, and health insurance data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the Current Population Survey (CPS). These data and general information about today’s release may be found at: < http://www.census.gov/PressRelease/www/releases/archives/news_conferences/010500.html
>.
This year’s data release marks the first time that ACS data products cover the total U.S. population, including populations residing in group quarters (such as prisons, college dormitories, military barracks, and nursing homes). The Census Bureau’s Web site now contains guidance on comparing 2006 ACS data to 2005 ACS data, as well as comparing 2006 ACS data to Census 2000 data. This guidance may be found at: < http://www.census.gov/acs/www/UseData/compACS.htm >.
Data are again available for the nation, the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, every congressional district and all counties, places, and metropolitan areas with populations of 65,000 or more.
As part of today’s release, the ACS Web site recently was redesigned to make navigation easier and to help users find the information they need more quickly. The Web site is primarily a documentation and information site. As in past years, all the data from the ACS may be found on the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder: < http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en >.
Additional data from the 2006 ACS will be released as follows:
*Sept. 12, 2007: ACS social, economic and, housing characteristics, demographic and housing estimates, and Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS) data. The data will consist of:
*Educational attainment
*Industry
*Occupation
*Class of worker
*Journey to work
*Employment status
*Work status
*Veteran status
*Housing
*Households and families
*Marital status
*Migration
*Sept. 27, 2007: ACS group quarters and selected population profiles/tables for about 200 selected population groups by race, Hispanic origin, and ancestry. This marks the first release of group quarters profiles since the 1990 Census. Also released at that time will be workplace geography tables.
Federal Register Notice Solicits Feedback on Proposed ACS Data Products Containing Multiyear Estimates
A Federal Register notice (#3510-07-P) released today seeks user input on proposed modifications to the current line of ACS data products to accommodate the multiyear estimates beginning in 2008. Currently official ACS data products are only available in the form of single-year estimates for years 2005 and 2006.
The notice and supporting documentation may be found at: < http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html >. Once there, scroll down to the Census Bureau section and click the “text” link.
Questions about the proposed data products may be directed to Doug Hillmer, Assistant Division Chief, Data Products, American Community Survey Office, on (301) 763-2994, by e-mail at Douglas.w.Hillmer@census.gov, or by mail at U.S. Census Bureau, Room 3K275, Washington, DC 20233-0001.
________________________________________________________________
The ACS is a key component of the Census Bureau’s 2010 Decennial Census Program, which also consists of early planning and modernization of geographic operations and a short-form only for the 2010 Census.
___________________________________________________________________
***Contact Us
If you have questions or comments about the American Community Survey, please call (888)346-9682 or e-mail cmo.acs@census.gov.
Posted by ronbo at 10:39 AM
August 27, 2007
Recent ICPSR updates and additions - August 27, 2007
Below is a list of new data collection additions to the ICPSR data archive along with a list of released data collections that have been updated:
NEW ADDITIONS:
4558 Afrobarometer: Round II 16-Country Merged Dataset, 2003-2004
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04558.xml
4698 Low-Fertility Cohorts Study, 1978: A Survey of White, Ever-Married Women Belonging to the 1901-1910 United States Birth Cohorts
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04698.xml
4701 Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, Wave 3, 2005-2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04701.xml
4703 Japanese General Social Survey (JGSS), 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04703.xml
4714 Uniform Crime Reporting Program Data [United States]: Arson, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04714.xml
20322 Eurobarometer 65.2: The European Constitution, Social and Economic Quality of Life, Avian Influenza, and Energy Issues, March-May 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20322.xml
20380 National Hospital Discharge Survey, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20380.xml
20580 Capital Punishment in the United States, 1973-2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20580.xml
UPDATES:
2956 Immigrants Admitted to the United States, 1998
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/02956.xml
20240 Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), 2001-2003 [United States]
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20240.xml
You can also view a list of all studies added and updated in the last ninety days by visiting the ICPSR Web site at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/.
Posted by ronbo at 08:59 AM
August 26, 2007
From SPSS: See the newest SPSS products in action...and more
See how SPSS software products can support and improve your work efforts. Join us at the See it in SPSS Web seminar series for a live demonstration and Q&A session with SPSS experts. Several Web seminars are just around the corner, including:
Desktop Reporter™: August 30, 11:00 a.m. CST
Discover how to create and distribute reports for internal and external clients with the newest tool from the Dimensions™ product line. View this presentation and learn how to:
* Access data from a number of different software applications
* Filter, group, and rearrange variables
* Create tables that include descriptive information to aid viewers in interpreting results
* Export tables to Microsoft® Office applications as text or HTML
Dimensions™: September 5, 1:00 p.m. CST
See how your organization can benefit from the capabilities of Dimensions. View this presentation and learn how to:
* Create surveys through an integrated online toolkit
* Deliver usable results instantly and cost effectively, and in multiple languages
* Collect data in any mode on paper, by phone, over the Web, through mobile devices, or through any combination of these methods
* Include sound, music, images, and movies in questionnaire seven create virtual environments for your research
Register today online or by phone at 1.800.543.5815.
Sincerely,
Alex Kormushoff
Senior Vice President, SPSS Inc.
P.S. These events are right around the corner, so register today.
Upcoming events
Take a look at all upcoming events and register for those that focus on your area of interest.
SPSS 16.0
September 11, 1:00pm CST
SPSS Predictive Enterprise Services™
September 18, 1:00pm CST
SPSS Text Analysis for Surveys™
September 24, 11:00am CST
These events are free, but you must register.
See it in SPSS
Mark your calendars for upcoming See it in SPSS seminars in your area:
* New York (9/19/07)
* Ottawa (9/20/07)
For more information, or to register for any of these events, visit www.spss.com/seeit.
SPSS Logo © 2007 SPSS Inc. All rights reserved.
SPSS Inc. Headquarters, 233 S. Wacker Drive, 11th floor
Chicago, Illinois 60606
For additional information, please visit www.spss.com.
Posted by ronbo at 04:14 PM
August 25, 2007
Selection from IASSIST US Regional Report 2005-2006: Federal Reserve Board data
In April 2006, the Federal Reserve Board implemented Data Download, an interactive access and download application, delivering customized data sets in a variety of formats. Data Download is the first application to deliver data in SDMX-ML,, a technical statistical data standard that is gaining support among central banks and statistical agencies. The SDMX-ML technical standard was developed by the Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) initiative under the governance of the Bank for International Settlements, the European Central Bank, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Eurostat, the United Nations, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. [Contributed by San Cannon]
Posted by ronbo at 08:41 PM
August 23, 2007
From Census Product Update - Hot Tip: Community Economic Development HotReport & New ACS Web Site
Community Economic Development HotReport Released
The Community Economic Development (CED) HotReport provides community and business leaders speedy access to information tailored to economic development decision-making. It is a free, easy to use portal to instantly obtain detailed information for local and regional areas on a wide variety of topics from a multitude of sources.
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), the Economic Development Administration (EDA), the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) and the U.S. Census Bureau collaboratively designed the CED HotReport with local and regional experts to help communities and businesses plan for economic expansions and contractions using the best available information. For a complete list of measures and sources, see CED Measures (PDF - 72 KB).
The CED HotReport utilizes software developed by the Census Bureau known as TheDataWeb, DataFerrett and ReportWriter to retrieve data live from the original source whether within or outside of the Census Bureau and display it in maps, graphs and tables on interactive web pages. Comments and problems should be sent to did.local.employment.dynamics@census.gov.
Don't Miss the New American Community Survey Home Page!
Be sure to see the new American Community Survey (ACS) home page. In particular, see the Highlights section to read about exciting new 2006 data products and to find out whats different about 2006. On the web site you can sign up for ACS alerts which provide timely ACS news delivered by email, find key contact numbers, and read about whats coming in future years for the ACS.
Posted by ronbo at 08:28 AM
August 22, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NEW! - Back to School Statistics
Nearly 50 million students are heading off to approximately 97,000 public elementary and secondary schools for the fall term, and before the school year is out, an estimated $489 billion will be spent related to their education. These are just a few of the statistics contained in Back to School Stats, compiled by the Institute of Education Sciences' research and statistical centers. Follow the link below for more statistical information about American elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools, students, and the educational process.
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372
Posted by ronbo at 10:28 AM
From CSES list: CSES papers and presentations at the APSA annual meeting
Dear Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) colleagues,
We want to inform you about some of the papers using CSES data that will be presented next week at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
A panel on Thursday, August 30 at 2:00pm makes extensive use of CSES. Panel 11-35 is titled "Is Democracy Working? Satisfaction, Accountability and Participation in Electoral Democracies." Ian McAllister, of The Australian National University, is chairing the panel. Pippa Norris, of the United Nations Development Programme and Harvard University, is the discussant. In that panel, three papers make use of the CSES:
1. "Citizen Information, Election Outcomes and Good Governance," by Gabor A. Toka of the Central European University.
2. "Representation, Accountability and 'Rational' Electoral Behavior," by Radoslaw Markowski of the Warsaw School of Social Psychology.
3. "Meaningful Choices, Political Supply, and Institutional Effectiveness," by Bernhard Wessels of the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB) and Hermann F.J. Schmitt of the University of Mannheim.
Papers uploaded by these authors to the APSA 2007 website also make use of CSES:
4. "Relative Extremism and Relative Moderation: Strategic Party Positioning in Democratic Systems," by Paul V. Warwick of Simon Fraser University. The presentation is part of Panel 35-6, "Party Positioning," on Saturday, September 1 at 8:00am.
5. "Compulsory Electoral Participation and Political Legitimacy" by Sarah Birch of the University of Essex. The presentation is part of Panel 36-16, "Comparative Electoral Systems," on Saturday, September 1 at 10:15am.
6. "A Comparative Validation of Implied and Observed Voter Utilities" by Cees van der Eijk of the University of Nottingham and Michael Marsh of Trinity College, Dublin. The presentation is part of Panel 8-8 (co-sponsored by Panel 36-1), "Methodological Advances in the Study of Elections and Voting Behavior," on Saturday, September 1 at 2:00pm.
7. "Institutions and Substantive Representation in Developed Democracies: The Impact of Alternative Conceptualizations and Data on the Effects of Election Rules and Party Systems" by G. Bingham Powell of the University of Rochester. The presentation is part of Panel 14-11, "Party Strategies and Electoral Systems," on Sunday, September 2 at 8:00am.
If your APSA presentation or paper makes use of CSES and is not listed here, please let us know and we will make sure it appears in the announcement that will follow on the CSES website, and in the CSES Bibliography.
We hope to see you at APSA!
Best regards,
-Dave
David Howell
Director of Studies
Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES)
----------
Addendum:
A second paper is being presented at Panel 36-16 on Saturday, September 1 at 10:15am: "What Happens When the Rules Change? Institutional Changes and Voter Turnout," by Gregory Love of the University of California, Davis, and Ryan E. Carlin of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
A second paper is also being presented at Panel 14-11 on Sunday, September 2 at 8:00am: "Ideological Congruence and Two Visions of Democracy," by Matt Golder of Florida State University, and Jacek Stramski of Florida State University.
The following presentation is included in Panel 37-25, "The Impact of Education, Interest, and Knowledge on Public Opinion," on Thursday, August 30 at 2:00pm: "Individual and Contextual Effects on Political Knowledge," by Jason Ross Arnold of the University of Minnesota.
Please check the CSES website at this location for future additions to the list: http://www.cses.org/announce/newsltr/20070822.htm
Posted by ronbo at 10:16 AM
From ANES list: An invitation to attend an APSA session on new ANES opportunities for you
To: Friends of ANES
From: The PIs of the American National Election Studies
Re: An invitation to learn about exciting new research opportunities being offered by ANES
You are cordially invited to attend a public meeting of the American National Election Studies at the APSA annual meeting in Chicago!
We have a variety of new and exciting topics to update you on, including:
- outcomes of the 2006 Pilot Study
- a number of recent and upcoming research conferences that have ANES ties
- up-to-the-minute developments regarding the 2008-2009 Panel Study (which begins data collection in January)
- the imminent opening of the Online Commons for content proposals for the 2008 Time Series Study
- the implementation of a Bonus Minutes and Complementary cases program for the 2008 Time Series Study
We will also report on collaborations with the Department of Homeland Security, National Longitudinal Surveys, University of Texas, and University of Washington that may result in rich new content and analytical opportunities for ANES users.
After the updates will be a session where you are welcome to comment and pose questions of the PIs, Board of Overseers, and staff.
The public meeting is scheduled for 10am on Saturday, September 1st. We have been told that the location is to be the Hyatt hotel, in room Stetson G, but please check the program when you arrive in case of a location
change.
We hope you can be there!
Jon A. Krosnick and Arthur Lupia
ANES Principal Investigators
Posted by ronbo at 07:24 AM
Selections from ESRI ArcWatch (August 2007): ArcGIS 9.2 Service Pack 3; Best Practices; Accessing ArcMap
ArcGIS 9.2 Service Pack 3 Available for Download
Install ArcGIS 9.2 Service Pack 3 to ensure the highest-quality experience when working with ArcGIS 9.2. Download now.
Download Best Practices Booklet
In Modernizing Mapping Organizations' Workflow [PDF-7.04 MB], you will learn how organizations such as the U.S. Geological Survey are using GIS to upgrade their databases and mapping operations. GIS Best Practices booklets are available on a variety of topics such as public works, law enforcement, and customer and market analytics. For a complete list of booklets currently available, visit the GIS Best Practices showcase.
Get Started Accessing ArcMap
The ArcMap table of contents (TOC) does more than help locate information in a map document. The TOC also serves as a "control center." There, people can access controls for changing how data is displayed and symbolized as well as tools that will let them select, label, and manipulate data layers and the map in data and layout views. Learn more about how to save time using the TOC in ArcMap. [PDF-548 KB]
Posted by ronbo at 07:11 AM
August 21, 2007
From IES Newsflash: Digest of Education Statistics, 2006 (NCES 2007-017) released on July 26, is now available in HTML format
The new Digest has been fully integrated into the NCES web site system that permits convenient access to all the Digests since the 1995 edition.
Visit: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/
The 42nd in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons. Some examples of highlights from the report include the following items.
* Between fall 2006 and fall 2015, public elementary enrollment is expected to increase. Public secondary enrollment is projected to rise through 2007, then decline until 2014. Overall, school enrollment is projected to set new records every year from 2006 until at least 2015.
* Enrollment in degree-granting colleges increased by 16 percent between 1985 and 1995. Between 1995 and 2005, enrollment increased at a faster rate (23 percent), from 14.3 million to 17.5 million. During the 1995 to 2005 period, enrollment of women increased by 27 percent, while enrollment of men increased by 18 percent.
* The percentages of adults 25 years old and over completing high school and college have been rising. In 2006, 85 percent of the population 25 years old and over had completed high school and 28 percent had completed a bachelor's or higher degree. This is higher than in 1996, when 82 percent had completed at least high school and 24 percent had completed a bachelor's or higher degree.
* After adjustment for inflation, current expenditures per student in fall enrollment in public schools rose 37 percent during the 1980s, remained stable during the first part of the 1990s, and rose 21 percent between 1995-96 and 2003-04. In 2003-04, current expenditures per student in fall enrollment were $8,310 in unadjusted dollars.
* College faculty generally suffered losses in the purchasing power of their salaries from 1972-73 to 1980-81, when average salaries declined 17 percent after adjustment for inflation. During the 1980s, average salaries rose and recouped most of the losses. Between 1995-96 and 2005-06, there was a further increase in average faculty salaries, resulting in an average of about 3 percent higher than in 1972-73, after adjustment for inflation.
Contact Tom Snyder (202) 502-7452.
Posted by ronbo at 05:42 PM
August 20, 2007
Academic News Update from SAS -- Award Deadline Sept. 17!
The SAS Student Ambassador Program
The deadline for the next Student Ambassador competition is Sept. 17. If you know of students who might be conducting outstanding research projects using SAS, please share the information below with them:
The SAS Student Ambassador Program is a competition designed to recognize and support student researchers who use SAS technologies in innovative ways to benefit their fields of study.
Selected students are named SAS Student Ambassadors and earn the opportunity to present their research to a global community of SAS users at SAS® Global Forum, March 16 - 19, 2008, in San Antonio. SAS will pay travel expenses and registration fees for Student Ambassadors who attend and present their research.
Call for applications
The deadline for submitting applications and all required materials -- including an abstract and working draft of the student research paper -- is Sept. 17.
Visit the program Web site to learn more about it and the application process.
What are the benefits for students?
For students selected as SAS Student Ambassadors, SAS will pay all SAS Global Forum 2008 travel, lodging and conference registration expenses. While at the conference, SAS Student Ambassadors will have the opportunity to share their projects and interact with a global audience of SAS users, including researchers, business leaders, SAS experts and specialists from every industry and sector.
Who is eligible to apply?
Graduate and undergraduate students from around the world are eligible to apply to this program. Recent graduates may also be eligible to apply. The submitted research project must have been conducted by a student within 12 months of the submission deadline. In addition, all applicants must have a strong command of the English language. Applicants will be required to submit papers, present projects and participate in question-and-answer sessions in English.
What types of projects are appropriate?
Appropriate research projects can come from numerous areas of study and can use SAS in a variety of ways.
For additional information about this competition and other SAS student programs, please visit us online or send an e-mail to studentprograms@sas.com.
Posted by ronbo at 03:36 PM
From ResourceShelf: Now Available: The Electronic Edition of Federal Elections 2006
ResourceShelf post on August 20, 2007:
The electronic edition of Federal Elections 2006: Election Results for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives is now available on-line. Printed copies are expected by the end of August.
You can download the complete document or by chapters. Most material available in both PDF and XLS formats.
Source: Federal Election Commission
Posted by ronbo at 07:07 AM
August 16, 2007
From IES Newsflash: New NAEP Study Released: Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments (TRE)
The TRE study was designed to demonstrate and explore innovative computer use in NAEP by developing two problem-solving scenarios. The design aimed to capture the multidimensionality that is characteristic of problem solving with technology by requiring students to demonstrate both science skills and basic facility with the computer.
This study focused on the physical science associated with helium gas balloons used for space exploration, and allowed students to explore that domain in a dynamic environment. All student actions were captured in computer files for scoring, allowing for evaluation of the processes used in problem solving. A nationally representative sample of over 2,000 grade 8 students participated.
Learn more at the Technology-Rich Environments overview page at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/tba/tre/
Read the summary of the report, Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments, at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/studies/2007466.asp
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007466
Posted by ronbo at 11:48 AM
August 15, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NEW NCES REPORT! - Persistence and Attainment of 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students: After Three Years
This report provides a brief description of the persistence and degree attainment of a nationally representative sample of students who began postsecondary education for the first time in the 2003-04 academic year. The report provides a first look at the experience of these students over three academic years, from July 2003 to June 2006, and provides information about rates of program completion, transfer, and attrition for students who first enrolled at various types of postsecondary institutions using data from the 2004/06 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/06). Findings showed that among the beginning students who were recent (2003) high school graduates, enrolled full time in the fall of 2003, and had bachelor’s degree plans, 70 percent were still enrolled at their first institution without a degree, 4 percent had attained a degree or certificate at their first institution, and 20 percent had transferred elsewhere without a degree by June 2006.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007169
Posted by ronbo at 09:59 AM
August 14, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NEW NCES REPORT! - Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2006
This report describes how the education system in the United States compares with education systems in the other G-8 countries--Canada, France. Germany. Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom. Twenty indicators are organized in five sections: (1) population and school enrollment; (2) academic performance; (3) context for learning; (4) expenditure for education; and (5) education returns: educational attainment and income.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007006
Posted by ronbo at 08:38 AM
August 13, 2007
New resources available for QSR (NVivo) software users
These resources are available from QSR's new website: www.qsrinternational.com.
Users can access a wide range of materials wherever and whenever they need them, including:
* Resources to help new users to get started with our software, including animated tutorials
* Access to the latest thinking in qualitative research from industry experts
* Ability to share tips and advice with thousands of peers on the QSR Forum
* Ability to search an events calendar to locate conferences or workshops in your region
* A comprehensive questions and answers section
* A wide range of resource articles including user projects and whitepapers
* Resources in non-English languages
* A wide range of user case studies
Posted by ronbo at 07:43 PM
From IES Newsflash: NEW NCES REPORT! - Differential Characteristics of 2-Year Postsecondary Institutions
Two-year institutions, including community colleges and career schools, have become increasingly important in American higher education. Many classification systems for 2-year institutions use a wide array of characteristics and perspectives to differentiate between 2-year institutions. This report uses a classification system for 2-year institutions that uses number of variables available on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to identify seven groups of 2-year institutions: small publics; medium-sized publics; large publics; allied health not-for-profits; other not-for-profits; degree-granting for-profits; and other for-profits. The report presents brief profiles for each classification type, then focuses on four broad topic areas (institutional resources, student characteristics, institutional affordability, and measures of student success) to highlight the key differences that set a particular institutional type apart. The analysis found that among public institutions, small and large institutions differed in key areas; for example, large public schools tended to offer lower tuition and more services and to be located in urban areas. Private for-profit schools appear quite similar to one another with the exception of the types of credentials offered and completed, which reflect the classification itself. In most other aspects—such as tuition, location, finances, student characteristics, and student financial aid—these institutions exhibited few differences. Other not-for-profits appeared to be similar to for-profits, but slightly more traditional. Allied health institutions differed from other not-for-profit institutions—and the other institutions in the classification system—in terms of the programs offered, funding streams, student characteristics, student costs and the types of awards granted. These schools appeared to be between public institutions and other private schools in terms of affordability and financial aid. Students at allied health institutions were more likely to be older, independent with dependents, and female than their counterparts at other 2-year schools.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007164
Posted by ronbo at 04:20 PM
Recent ICPSR updates and additions - July 30, 2007
Below is a list of new data collection additions to the ICPSR data
archive along with a list of released data collections that have been
updated:
NEW ADDITIONS:
4551 Sloan Study of Youth and Social Development, 1992-1997 [United States]
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04551.xml
4566 National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART), 1999
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04566.xml
4636 Voice of the People, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04636.xml
4669 Eurobarometer 63.2: Radioactive Waste, Transport Services, Farm Animal's Welfare, and Means of Payment, February-March 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04669.xml
4677 Impact of Terrorism on State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies and Criminal Justice Systems in the United States, 2004
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04677.xml
4717 Uniform Crime Reporting Program Data [United States]: County-Level Detailed Arrest and Offense Data, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04717.xml
20100 Uniform Crime Reports [United States]: Supplementary Homicide Reports, 1976-2004
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20100.xml
20342 Census of Medical Examiners' and Coroners' Offices, 2004
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20342.xml
20427 Policy Expansion of School Choice in the American States, 1991-2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20427.xml
UPDATES:
3088 Alcohol and Drug Services Study (ADSS), 1996-1999: [United States]
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03088.xml
4536 Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of American Youth (12th-Grade Survey), 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04536.xml
4538 Chitwan Valley [Nepal] Family Study: Changing Social Contexts and Family Formation
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04538.xml
8719 National Health Interview Survey: Longitudinal Study of Aging, 70 Years and Over, 1984-1990
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/08719.xml
9134 Youth-Parent Socialization Panel Study, 1965-1982: Wave III
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09134.xml
You can also view a list of all studies added and updated in the last
ninety days by visiting the ICPSR Web site at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/.
Posted by ronbo at 03:30 PM
From ATLAS.ti: INSIDE ATLAS.ti - Your Quarterly Newsletter 2007/2 (July 2007)
Download this newsletter as a printer-friendly PDF document
Hello, and welcome to this latest installment of INSIDE ATLAS.ti!
We hope you're finding some time to enjoy the summer despite your busy research schedule.
To help you, two of our articles are dedicated to showing you how to make the most of your research with ATLAS.ti--while making it a lot easier.
It seems that the topic of computer-aided qualitative data analysis is resounding throughout the world right now. To keep you abreast of all that's new, we have a little report on what happened at the CAQDAS conference “Advances in Qualitative Computing” in the UK last April.
In one of the conference’s highlights, integral project co-workers Ann Lewins and Christina Silver presented their new book: Using Software in Qualitative Research: A Step-by-Step Guide. Already labeled "the most comprehensive book on qualitative software since Weitzman and Miles" and "the new bible for qualitative researchers," this books looks at QDA software packages side-by-side and under real-world conditions and compares ATLAS.ti, Nvivo, and MAXqda. We are proud to tell you that ATLAS.ti scored extremely well. This link lets you find out more about the book: http://lewinssilver.notlong.com
Before we forget: As part of our legendary customer friendliness, ATLAS.ti now offers product brochures in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. With these choices, you can rest assured that nothing gets lost in translation.
English: http://www.atlasti.com/downloads/atlas.ti5_brochure_2006_en.pdf
En français: http://www.atlasti.com/downloads/atlas.ti5_brochure_2006_fr.pdf
En español: http://www.atlasti.com/downloads/atlas.ti5_brochure_2006_es.pdf
(In Japanese): http://www.atlasti.com/downloads/atlas.ti5_brochure_2006_jp.pdf
(In Chinese): http://www.atlasti.com/downloads/atlas.ti5_brochure_2006_zh.pdf
And here are the topics we have selected for you in this issue:
* Read the second part of Nick Woolf's article on structuring your codes in our “Best Practices” section. This time he gives you the inside scoop on supercodes. Read article.
* In our “How We Support You” column you can find out why online ordering with ATLAS.ti has become even safer--yet again. Read article.
* If you missed the big CAQDAS conference in the UK you can get the gist of it in our “Beyond the software” section. Read article.
* To turn this issue into a little ATLAS.ti tutorial, Antoni Casasempere contributed a second “Best Practice” article on how to make qualitative data analysis easier by using basic content analysis. Read article.
* Ever wondered which licensing option would be best for the research needs of you and your institution? In this issue's “Did You Know” you will find all the information you need to make the right decision--complete with example calculations. Read article.
We wish you all the best in your research endeavors!
Jörg HeckerDirector Business Operations
Posted by ronbo at 01:53 PM
Recent ICPSR updates and additions - August 13, 2007
Below is a list of new data collection additions to the ICPSR data archive along with a list of released data collections that have been updated:
NEW ADDITIONS:
4587 American Community Survey (ACS): Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04587.xml
4639 American Terrorism Study, 1980-2002
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04639.xml
20220 Israeli Election Study, 2003
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20220.xml
20221 Israeli Election Study, 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20221.xml
20303 National Incident-Based Reporting System, 2005: Extract Files
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20303.xml
20321 Eurobarometer 65.1: The Future of Europe, Consumer Protection in Transborder Purchases, Family Planning, and Opinions and Experiences in Transborder Purchases, February-March 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20321.xml
20367 Census of Jail Inmates: Individual-Level Data, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20367.xml
20368 Annual Survey of Jails: Jurisdiction-Level Data, 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/20368.xml
UPDATES:
3845 ABC News Privacy and Harassment Poll, June 1994
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03845.xml
3852 ABC News/Washington Post Poll, August 1994
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03852.xml
4538 Chitwan Valley [Nepal] Family Study: Changing Social Contexts and Family Formation
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04538.xml
7754 Revivals in New York and Ohio, 1825-1835
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07754.xml
7786 American Public Opinion and U.S. Foreign Policy: National Leaders, 1979
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07786.xml
9426 Union Army Recruits in Black Regiments in the United States, 1862-1865
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09426.xml
9455 ABC News Japan Poll, March 1990
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09455.xml
9558 ABC News/Washington Post Poll #2, September 1990
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09558.xml
9564 American Public Opinion and U.S. Foreign Policy, 1990
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09564.xml
9749 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS), 1990
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09749.xml
You can also view a list of all studies added and updated in the last ninety days by visiting the ICPSR Web site at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/.
Posted by ronbo at 01:43 PM
American National Election Study (ANES) Announcement: Bonus Minutes and Complementary Cases Program
August 13, 2007
The American National Election Studies is pleased to announce two new programs: Bonus Minutes and Complementary Cases. Scholars can use these opportunities to enhance their own research agendas while making important contributions to the ANES user community.
Bonus Minutes Overview
For the first time, ANES will allow interested persons to purchase space on the 2008 national face-to-face election survey. This version of the largest and longest-running ANES data collection is a two-wave panel that will be conducted in the months immediately before (September, October) and after (November, December) the 2008 presidential election. All interviews are conducted face-to-face in respondents' homes. This study will be the newest addition to the ANES time-series that now covers over 50 years of elections. To learn more about the ANES time series, visit: http://www.electionstudies.org/studypages/cdf/cdf.htm and http://www.electionstudies.org/nesguide/nesguide.htm
People who purchase this space can, subject to the proposal review procedures described below, guarantee that topics and questions of their choosing are covered on the 2008 ANES survey. Given the extensive range of questions that the ANES normally includes, this opportunity provides for scholars a direct means for evaluating how particular items interact with existing items in a high-quality election survey.
Bonus Minutes Program Details
Up to 25 minutes of time will be available for sale.
For researchers who are formally affiliated with colleges, universities, or governmental agencies, the cost of a two-minute module is $35,000. Additional minutes can be purchased at a price of $15,000 each. For all other persons, the cost of a two-minute module is $58,000. Additional minutes can be purchased at a price of $29,000 each. As ANES is strictly non-partisan, it cannot consider proposals from partisan organizations (i.e., organizations that attempt to intervene in the processes ANES is attempting to study).
Proceeds from the Bonus Minutes program will be used to benefit the entire ANES user community. After covering the necessary survey and administrative costs of the Bonus Minutes program, ANES will use the proceeds to expand the length of the pre-election survey (whose content will be determined by the entire user community through the Online Commons) and to improve data quality by pursuing activities such as vote validation. In short, while purchasers of Bonus Minutes will be able to secure a place for questions of interest to them, their contributions will help to produce outcomes that benefit all ANES users.
This program will not displace questions that would otherwise appear on the 2008 ANES. Our grant from NSF pays for sixty minutes of interview time before and after the election. The Bonus Minutes program allows us to extend the post-election portion of the interview beyond our current capacity.
All questions administered through the Bonus Minutes program will be made available to all ANES users on an equal basis. This program does not provide exclusive or privileged access to ANES data to anyone. Purchasing Bonus Minutes simply reserves a place for the proposer’s desired content will appear on the 2008 ANES.
Final timings for contractual purposes will be determined in a pre-test to be conducted in the summer of 2008. At that point, the Bonus Minute purchaser and ANES will agree to the final set of questions. In the event that proposed questions take more than the time purchased, the number of questions will have to be reduced. Should the proposed questions take far less than the time purchased under the Bonus Modules program, additional questions will be permitted. Generally speaking, 3 to 4 brief questions can be asked and answered per minute. More complicated questions can take substantially longer. ANES can provide data on question timing from previous surveys.
To minimize the administrative costs of this program, we cannot accept proposals for Bonus Minutes that are less than two minutes in length, only whole additional minutes will be sold, and we cannot accept proposals that ask questions of only part of our sample -- all Bonus Minute questions will be asked to all respondents.
We expect that Bonus Minutes questions will appear at or near the end of the 2008 study's post-election wave. The purpose of this placement is to ensure that Bonus Minutes content will not interfere with responses to questions being placed on the survey through normal ANES means. In rare instances, we will consider proposals for inclusion in the pre-election wave, but such proposals must be determined by ANES to pose no harm to the Time Series.
The number of cases cannot be guaranteed, but here are our current estimates. At present, ANES is scheduled to conduct hour-long face-to-face interviews in the homes of a nationally representative sample of Americans before and after the election. The survey is targeting a sample of 1500-1800 respondents for the pre-election interview. In addition, and thanks to a cooperative agreement with scholars from the University of Washington, we will also conduct interviews with a substantial oversample of the Latino population. The survey is targeting 350 additional Latino voters. As is always the case with large surveys, the actual number of cases we will achieve depends on a number of factors. Our Complementary Cases program may lead to an increase in the total number of cases. Moreover, we remain interested in partnerships with federal agencies and scholarly teams (such as the one we have with the University of Washington) that may further increase the total number of cases.
Details on How to Make a Bonus Minutes Proposal
Proposals for Bonus Modules will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Each proposal must have two components: a financial component and a scientific component. The financial component must provide details on how the proposal will be funded. Both documents must be provided to ANES at "anes-proposals@electionstudies.org". The scientific component will be posted on the Online Commons and should be considered a public document. The financial component will be reviewed by the ANES Board of Overseers, Principal Investigators, staff and other survey personnel as needed for evaluation and as required under federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements, but it will not be otherwise distributed and will not be a public document.
Each proposal's scientific component must propose wording for all questions. It must also follow the format of proposals to the ANES Online Commons. This means that proposals are limited to ten pages with font no smaller than 12 point, one-inch margins, and double spacing. Scholars may submit multiple proposals. Scholars who wish to alert people to detailed materials to support their arguments may do so in the text of their proposal. All references must include a URL for a publicly-accessible website.
As a general matter, the criteria for inclusion for Bonus Minutes questions are quite broad. ANES prefers to receive Bonus Minutes proposals that are relevant to questions of voting and elections. The rationale underlying the proposal should be of high scientific quality and questions should be useful to a wide range of ANES users. Questions need not be about the elections specifically. Questions about a range of economic, sociological, psychological or related topics are welcomed. However, ANES will not accept any proposal that is seen to damage the integrity of the study in any way.
We will use the Online Commons to seek public comment on the scientific component of the proposal and its value to ANES users for a period of no less than 60 days. Then, we will refer the proposal to the Board of Overseers. Upon soliciting advice from the Board and the User Community, the Principal Investigators will render a decision on the proposal’s suitability for the ANES. Based on the review and public comment, ANES may alter question wording to improve the value of the data to the ANES user community. As ANES retains the right to reject proposals for any reason, including question wording concerns, we encourage proposers to use the Online Commons as a means for soliciting advice about optimal wording.
After the review, a proposal is either rejected or it is considered provisionally accepted. Final acceptance requires payment in full and all requisite IRB approvals.
IRB approval is required for final acceptance. Such approval must come from several sources. First, the IRBs of Michigan, Stanford, and RTI International (the survey firm with whom we are working) must approve all ANES studies. The ANES staff will work with applicants who receive provisional acceptance to gain IRB approval at these institutions. Moreover, the home institution(s) of university-based researchers may require proposers to solicit their own IRB's approval prior to seeking funding or paying for Bonus Minutes. Please check with your home institution in advance of compiling a proposal. For final acceptance, ANES will need documentation of your home institution's IRB approval or documentation that your home institution does not require its own IRB review.
In the event that more proposals are provisionally accepted than can be administered, priority will go to proposals that achieve final acceptance first. Provisional acceptance does not constitute a guarantee of content inclusion. That guarantee comes only after final acceptance is achieved.
Once our capacity for adding modules is exhausted, the Bonus Modules initiative for the 2008 ANES will end. Otherwise, the deadline for Final Acceptance is June 30, 2008. If full payment for a provisionally accepted Bonus Minutes module is not received by this date, the questions cannot be included. To maximize the likelihood of meeting the deadlines described above, we recommend that Bonus Minutes proposals be submitted no later than January 15, 2008.
The Complementary Cases Program
ANES is also interested in working with scholars who are interested in expanding the size of the respondent pool. These proposals can target a particular subpopulation or they can seek to increase the sample size as a whole.
The Complementary Cases initiative has the potential to provide innovative scholars who are interested in the views of specific Americans with an opportunity to obtain high quality data on their views at a relatively low cost. Subject to the conditions stated above, Complementary Cases can provide a "win-win" situation. Scholars who succeed in getting their sample added to the ANES win, because they get an oversample of their desired population without having to pay the fixed costs of conducting their own face-to-face study. The ANES user community wins because the data are made available to everyone on an equal basis and are collected in a way that enhances the value of the base study.
The procedures for submitting a Complementary Cases proposal parallel those described for the Bonus Minutes program. Each proposal must have two components: a financial component and a scientific component. The financial component must provide details on how the proposal will be funded. The scientific component must describe the target population and a rationale for including an expanded sample of such persons. Both documents must be provided to ANES at "anes-proposals@electionstudies.org". The proposal review and acceptance policies are as stated above with one exception. The deadline for Final Acceptance of a Complementary Cases proposal is March 31, 2008. To maximize the likelihood of meeting this deadline, we recommend that Bonus Minutes proposals be submitted no later than December 1, 2007.
The cost per case will depend on the kind and number of additional cases requested. It should be noted that requests to oversample very small or hard to reach groups are likely to be prohibitively expensive. Moreover, it takes considerable time and effort to obtain cost estimates from the survey firms with which we work. So we cannot consider Complementary Cases proposals that will be impossible to implement or that are not attached to a credible funding source.
Bonus Minutes and Complementary Cases Program History
The Bonus Minutes and Complementary Cases programs arise from two factors. The first factor is the National Science Foundation's desire to have the ANES "serve as a 'docking station' for substantive modules submitted by researchers who may not be part of the ANES project team." Such programs provide opportunities for scholars with special needs to advance their own research agendas while augmenting ANES data for everyone else.
The second factor is economies of scale. Conducting a nationally representative face-to-face survey entails paying the large fixed costs required to get ANES interviewers to the doorsteps of randomly selected Americans. Fixed costs also come from questionnaire design, computer programming (to allow dynamic interviews to be conducted via laptops in a range of settings), and sampling framework development and evaluation that must be completed before the first interview is attempted. Also fixed are the costs of extensive training to ensure that the interviews are conducted in a standardized manner, the costs of housing interviewers for the weeks when the 2008 study will be in the field, and payments that survey respondents receive for agreeing to participate in an interview. Once these fixed costs are paid, however, it is possible to add extra questions to the interviews and expand the sample at costs that are low relative to the fixed cost.
We are excited to have the opportunity to introduce these new programs. We look forward to working with you on using the Bonus Minutes and Complementary Cases programs expand and enhance upcoming ANES surveys.
Sincerely, Jon A. Krosnick and Arthur Lupia ANES Principal Investigators
Posted by ronbo at 01:35 PM
August 09, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NEW NCES REPORT! - Advanced Mathematics and Science Coursetaking in the Spring High School Senior Classes of 1982, 1992, and 2004
This report presents new time series data on the coursetaking patterns in mathematics and science for the spring high school graduating classes of 1982, 1992, and 2004. Coursetaking information was derived from high school transcripts collected by NCES in the following three studies: (1) High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 1980 Sophomores; (2) the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988; and (3) the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002. The analysis addresses overall trends, as well as trends within various subgroups defined by sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), expectations for future educational attainment, and school sector. The report examines trends in academic coursetaking in both mean credits earned in math and science and in the highest course level that high school graduates completed in the two subjects. Some key findings are as follows. First, in mathematics, academic coursework increased from, on average, 2.7 total credits in 1982 to 3.6 total credits in 2004. In addition, graduates shifted from taking lower level mathematics courses to taking more advanced courses. For example, the percentage of graduates who persisted through the mathematics curriculum into the two most advanced levels—precalculus and calculus—tripled between 1982 and 2004. At the subgroup level, while students in each of the four SES quartiles increased their participation in advanced mathematics over time, some disparities increased—for example, the difference between the highest and lowest SES quartiles in precalculus and calculus coursetaking went from 18 percentage points in 1982 to 35 percentage points in 2004. Second, in science, the average number of credits increased from 2.2 total credits in 1982 to 3.3 total credits in 2004. Further, graduates shifted in significant proportions from taking lower level science courses to taking upper level ones. At the subgroup level, despite increased completion of advanced-level science courses by graduates from all school sectors, Catholic and other private school students remained more likely than their public school counterparts to complete advanced-level courses in science.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007312
Posted by ronbo at 09:01 PM
From Census Product Update (8/9/07): Hot Tip - New Site Helps Businesses Understand the Economic Census!
The Census Bureau has launched a new web site to help businesses understand the Economic Census and how it benefits them. The site includes snapshots of economic information for selected industries and also includes business facts and ratios about every industry. The Economic Census is conducted every five years, and later this year more than four million businesses will receive forms for the 2007 Economic Census. Check out this new site today!
Posted by ronbo at 08:57 PM
Roper Center Data Acquisitions Update, June 2007
Stanford University Libraries maintains a membership to the Roper Center and Stanford faculty, staff, and students can now download data directly accessible via Roper Express. For instructions on requesting data not available via Roper Express, click on the "Data Services - Roper" link on our SSDS web site.
This month the Roper Update (pdf) for the month of June contains:
• NCCJ Intergroup Relations Survey conduced by ICR from January 13-March 30, 2005.
• 14 new NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls conducted from July 2005 to April 2007.
• 3 new Los Angeles Times Polls including samples of Republican and Democratic National Committee members.
• Religion and Ethics Newsweekly and U.S. News and World Report America’s Evangelicals survey conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, March 16-April 4, 2004.
These notices have been archived on the Roper Center website at: http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/data_access/data/past_data_announcements.html
If you have any questions about these data collections please do not hesitate to contact the Roper Center at rcweb@ropercenter.uconn.edu.
Posted by ronbo at 06:55 PM
August 08, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NAEP 2006 Economics Assessment Results Now Available
Results from the first-ever NAEP assessment in economics were released today. The Nation’s Report Card: Economics 2006 reports on the economic literacy of America’s twelfth-graders. Student knowledge was measured in three areas: market economy, national economy, and international economy.
Findings include:
* The average score was set at 150, with 79 percent of students performing at or above the Basic level.
* Male students, on average, scored higher than female students.
* White and Asian/Pacific Islander students scored higher, on average, than other racial/ethnic groups.
* 87 percent of students reported studying some economics in high school.
For complete results and to download the report, visit: http://nationsreportcard.gov
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007475
Join NCES Associate Commissioner Peggy Carr for an online chat at 2:00 p.m. today. Submit your questions now until 3 p.m. at: http://nces.ed.gov/WhatsNew/statchat/index2.asp
Posted by ronbo at 01:22 PM
August 06, 2007
See It in SPSS: SPSS Text Analysis for Surveys 2.0
Sep 24, 2007
United States
Begins at: 11:00 a.m. CT
Duration: 1 hour
View this FREE webcast for a closer look at the newest version of our text analysis software, SPSS Text Analysis for Surveys 2.0. Making your survey text responses usable in quantitative analysis and decision-making just got easier!
Whether you’re already using SPSS Text Analysis for Surveys, or just want to see it in action, you don’t want to miss this webcast. You’ll see a live demo of some of the new features and enhancements in SPSS Text Analysis for Surveys 2.0, including:
# Project sharing: Projects can be stored as files on the hard drive so that users can easily share and manage projects
# Category import and export: Categories (and definitions) can be exported and shared with other users. This enables the convenient reuse of category work in new projects (with no categories)
# Graphing enhancements: Imported reference variables can be overlaid onto category bar charts to aid category profiling
# Conditional rules for categories: Logical expressions can be created using extraction results and Boolean operators. These rules enable response categorization based on more complex information and erroneous response filtering
# Coding progress tracking: Responses can be marked as “complete” or “important” to monitor coding progress
Find out more, visit the organizer Web site: http://spssevents.webex.com
Posted by yan at 03:20 PM
From IES Newsflash: New Advanced Item Maps: Learn About Student Performance NAEP Questions!
Item maps illustrate what students know and can do in NAEP subject areas by positioning descriptions of individual assessment items along the NAEP scale. An item is placed at the point on the scale where students are more likely to give successful responses to it. The descriptions used in NAEP item maps focus on the knowledge and skills needed to respond successfully to the assessment item.
The NAEP item maps have just been augmented; explore the new features below!
--Each item is now marked with a symbol to indicate its content classification.
--Advanced maps allow the user to explore performance by jurisdiction and student group by selecting "compare student groups."
--Select "compare student groups" to see performance of select groups by state or the nation. Using scaleable vector graphics (SVG), see mappings of percentiles in box-and-whisker format.
Maps for the following subjects are available: civics, mathematics, reading, science, and U.S. history. Economics will be available soon.
Access the Advanced Item Maps at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itemmaps/
Be sure to check back as new results are released.
Posted by ronbo at 02:18 PM
August 02, 2007
From IES Newsflash: Secondary Analysis Data for NAEP 2005 Available!
Data for all 2005 NAEP state and national mathematics and reading assessments are available on CD-ROM to researchers in organizations holding licenses from NCES. The NAEP Tool Kit, a user-friendly assistant for analyzing NAEP restricted-use data, is also available.
See which NAEP variables are available in 2005 (and earlier datasets) at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/researchcenter/variablesrudata.asp
For information on obtaining permission to analyze restricted-use data, read:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/researchcenter/license.asp
To get an idea of the complexity of NAEP data, you may want to look at the publicly-available data. Use the NAEP Data Explorer:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/
Also, see a related tool, State Comparisons, at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/statecomp/
Watch for new data tools on the NAEP website soon!
Posted by ronbo at 08:06 PM
Roper Center Newsletter for the month of August
Save the Date: Nov 8, 2007
As a tribute to Warren Mitofsky, who was chairman of the Roper Center Board of Directors at the time of his passing last fall, the Center has established the Warren J. Mitofsky Fund which will raise funds to support the Roper Center and sponsor an annual award for outstanding work utilizing the Center’s archived holdings. The 2007 Warren J. Mitofsky Award recipient will be honored at the awards dinner on November 8, 2007. Please, plan to join us.
For more information go to http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/center/mitofsky_save_date.html
Topics at a Glance!--"Race Relations"
http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/cgi-bin/hsrun.exe/roperweb/pom/pom.htx;start=HS_special_topics?Topic=race
How is race playing a role in the 2008 presidential election? Who would you rather vote for President, a women or a black man? How are race relations presently in the US? How do you feel about affirmative action? What about interracial marriages? Find out how others feel about this topic and more in this month's Topic at a Glance--Race Relations!
Based on a new topic each month, TAG offers a generous free sampling of related polling data and details of survey datasets held by the Roper Center, along with articles previously published in Public Perspective magazine.
Experience the depth of information housed in the Roper Center archives - The complete list of "Topics at a Glance!" http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/cgi-bin/hsrun.exe/Roperweb/pom/pom.htx;start=HS_pom_list
Newly spotlighted datasets http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/cgi-bin/hsrun.exe/roperweb/Catalog40/Catalog40.htx;start=HS_surveyspot
Updated as of August 1, 2007
Special studies of interest recently added to iPOLL. The database now contains nearly a half million questions!
http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/data_access/ipoll/ipoll.html
Title: Washington Post/Kaiser/Harvard Political Independents Survey [May, 2007]
Source: Survey by Washington Post, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Harvard University.
Methodology: Conducted by ICR-International Communications Research, May 3-June 3, 2007 and based on telephone interviews with a national adult including an oversample of independents sample of 2,140. The sample included 1014 political independents. Results are weighted to be representative of a national adult population.
Search for: Searched iPOLL for: Organization: 'Kaiser'; Date: '05/03/2007 to 05/03/20'
Title: Louisiana 's National Agenda Survey [January,2007]
Source: Survey by Manship School of Mass Communication and Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs at Louisiana State University.
Methodology: Conducted by Public Policy Research Lab, Louisiana State University, January 24-March 8, 2007 and based on telephone interviews with a national adult sample of 1,204.
Search for: Searched iPOLL for: 'Louisiana'; Date: '01/24/2007 to 01/24/2007'
Title: Hurricane Readiness in High Risk Areas Survey [June, 2007]
Source: Survey by Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security.
Methodology: Conducted by ICR-International Communications Research, June 18-July 10, 2007 and based on telephone interviews with a adults in coastal counties of alabama, florida, georgia, louisiana, mississippi, north carolina, south carolina, and texas sample of 5,046. Interviewing was conducted in all counties within twenty miles of the coastline for each state. The survey included 502 residents of the New Orleans metropolitan area, where interviews were conducted with adults from cell phone only households, as well as from households with landline telephones.
Search for: Searched iPOLL for: 'hurrican%'; Organization: 'Harvard School of Public Health', Date: '06/18/2007 to 06/18/2007'
Title: AARP Thoughts on the Afterlife Survey [June,2006]
Source: Survey by AARP.
Methodology: Conducted by ICR-International Communications Research, June 29-July 10, 2006 and based on telephone interviews with a national adults age 50 & over sample of 1,011.
Search for: Searched iPOLL for: Organization: 'AARP'; Date: '06/29/2006 to 06/29/2006'
Additional resources - Web sites with special survey samples
AARP 401(K) Participants' Awareness and Understanding of Fees Survey http://www.aarp.org/research/reference/publicopinions/401k_fees.html
Posted by ronbo at 06:37 PM
From ESDS: Exciting new web portal for ESRC Census Programme
A new web portal has been launched - Census.ac.uk - providing a significantly enhanced web presence for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Census Programme, which gives access to census data from 1971 onwards to academics in UK higher and further education. Census.ac.uk (http://census.ac.uk) is the central point for the Programme. A wealth of census information - from 1971 through to 2001 - was already presented to the UK academic community through the Census Programme, though in an irregular format which tended to emphasise who was distributing particular data, rather than the breadth of data available. The emphasis has now changed to help users identify the full range of data which can support their work.
Available from Census.ac.uk:
*for the first time, a census data search facility based on structured metadata
*details of the 1971-2001 census data available to UK academics
*an enhanced registration process to gain access to the data
*overviews of census data which are available to all enquirers, and
*an introduction to the structure of the ESRC Census Programme.
Census.ac.uk also gives users the opportunity to register their research outputs online, in accordance with their obligations under the Programme's licence for data use. There is access to aggregate data, the National Statistics Postcode Directory, interaction data, digitised boundary data and microdata, as well as metadata for longitudinal studies covering the whole of the UK. Census.ac.uk has been developed by a team working at the UK Data Archive at the University of Essex, in conjunction with the Programme's six data support units and the UK census agencies.
Posted by ronbo at 05:47 PM
August 01, 2007
From IES Newsflash: Status of Education in Rural America
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has just released the report "Status of Education in Rural America."
This report presents a series of indicators on the status of education in rural America, using the new NCES locale classification system. The new system classifies the locale of school districts and schools based on their actual geographic coordinates into one of 12 locale categories and distinguishes between rural areas that are on the fringe of an urban area, rural areas that are at some distance, and rural areas that are remote. The findings of this report indicate that in 2003-04 over half of all operating school districts and one-third of all public schools in the United States were in rural areas; yet only one-fifth of all public school students were enrolled in rural areas. A larger percentage of public school students in rural areas than those in any other locale attended very small schools. A larger percentage of rural public school students in the 4th- and 8th-grades scored at or above the Proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading, mathematics, and science assessments in 2005 than did public school students in cities at these grade levels. However, smaller percentages of rural public school students than suburban public school students scored at or above the Proficient level in reading and mathematics.
In 2004, the high school status dropout rate (i.e., the percentage of persons not enrolled in school and not having completed high school) among 16- to 24-year-olds in rural areas was higher than in suburban areas, but lower than in cities. Current public school expenditures per student were higher in rural areas in 2003-04 than in any other locale after adjusting for geographic cost differences. Racial/ethnic minorities account for a smaller percentage of public school teachers in rural schools than in schools in all other locales in 2003-04. In general, smaller percentages of public school teachers in rural areas than across the nation as a whole reported problems as “serious” and behavioral problems as frequent in their schools in 2003-04. Likewise, a larger percentage of public school teachers in rural areas than in other locales reported being satisfied with the teaching conditions in their school in 2003-04, though a smaller percentage of rural public school teachers than suburban public school teachers reported being satisfied with their salary. Public school teachers in rural areas earned less, on average, in 2003-04 than their peers in other locales, even after adjusting for geographic cost differences.
To browse this report and to view, download and print the report as a pdf file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/ruraled/
Posted by ronbo at 09:06 PM
From IES Newsflash: Digest of Education Statistics, 2006
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has just released the report "Digest of Education Statistics, 2006."
The 42nd in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons. Some examples of highlights from the report include the following items.
- Between fall 2006 and fall 2015, public elementary enrollment is expected to increase. Public secondary enrollment is projected to rise through 2007, then decline until 2014. Overall, school enrollment is projected to set new records every year from 2006 until at least 2015.
- Enrollment in degree-granting colleges increased by 16 percent between 1985 and 1995. Between 1995 and 2005, enrollment increased at a faster rate (23 percent), from 14.3 million to 17.5 million. During the 1995 to 2005 period, enrollment of women increased by 27 percent, while enrollment of men increased by 18 percent.
- The percentages of adults 25 years old and over completing high school and college have been rising. In 2006, 85 percent of the population 25 years old and over had completed high school and 28 percent had completed a bachelor's or higher degree. This is higher than in 1996, when 82 percent had completed at least high school and 24 percent had completed a bachelor's or higher degree.
- After adjustment for inflation, current expenditures per student in fall enrollment in public schools rose 37 percent during the 1980s, remained stable during the first part of the 1990s, and rose 21 percent between 1995-96 and 2003-04. In 2003-04, current expenditures per student in fall enrollment were $8,310 in unadjusted dollars.
- College faculty generally suffered losses in the purchasing power of their salaries from 1972-73 to 1980-81, when average salaries declined 17 percent after adjustment for inflation. During the 1980s, average salaries rose and recouped most of the losses. Between 1995-96 and 2005-06, there was a further increase in average faculty salaries, resulting in an average of about 3 percent higher than in 1972-73, after adjustment for inflation.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007017
Posted by ronbo at 09:04 PM
From IES Newsflash: Demographic and School Characteristics of Students Receiving Special Education in the Elementary Grades
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has just released the Issue Brief "Demographic and School Characteristics of Students Receiving Special Education in the Elementary Grades."
This Issue Brief provides a detailed description of the proportion of elementary school students receiving special education in kindergarten, first grade, third grade, and fifth grade; the primary disabilities of these students; and the variation in these measures across a range of demographic and school characteristics. Data for this analysis are drawn from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). Findings from the analysis indicate that for the cohort of students beginning kindergarten in 1998, specific learning disabilities and speech or language impairments were the most prevalent primary disabilities over the grades studied. The percentage of the student cohort receiving special education grew from 4.1 percent in kindergarten to 11.9 percent of students in fifth grade. The results also indicate that higher percentages of boys than girls and of poor students than nonpoor students received special education.
To download, view and print the Issue Brief as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007005
Posted by ronbo at 08:58 PM
From Census Product Update (7/27/2007): Hot Tip - Demographic Information for the World!
Did you know the Census Bureau has information for all countries and areas of the world? Check out demographic indicators such as infant mortality, life expectancy, fertility rates, net migration, and population growth. The data include current estimates that project age and sex distribution to 2050!! Find out more!
Posted by ronbo at 08:54 PM
Recent Medical Expenditure Panel Study (MEPS) Data Products and Publications
AHRQ is pleased to announce the recent release of the following MEPS data products and publications.
Recent MEPS Data:
MEPS HC-093:2006 P10R3/P11R1 Population Characteristics
Release Date: July 2007
This public use data file is the tenth point in time data file to be released from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS HC). The data are being released both as an ASCII file (with related SAS and SPSS programming statements) and in SAS transport format. This public use file provides information on data collected on a nationally representative sample of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the United States during the early part of 2006. The data consist of 2006 data obtained in Round 3 of Panel 10 and Round 1 of Panel 11 of the MEPS Household Component and contains variables pertaining to survey administration, demographics, employment, health status, and health insurance. This public use data file can be accessed at: http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/download_data_files_detail.jsp?cboPufNumber=HC-093
MEPS Tabular Data:
Tables of Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Estimates from the 2005 MEPS Insurance Component
Private sector estimates for year 2005 from the MEPS-Insurance Component have been posted on the MEPS website. Tables include statistics, at both the national and state levels, on employer-sponsored health insurance: offers and enrollments, number and types of insurance plans, premiums, benefits, contributions by employers and employees, and employer characteristics. They can be accessed at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/survey_comp/Insurance.jsp
Analytical Tools: 2005 MEPSnet/IC Data
The MEPSnet query system has been updated to include estimates from the private sector 2005 MEPS-Insurance Component tables (see above). MEPSnet/IC can be found at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/MEPSnetIC.jsp
Posted by ronbo at 08:50 PM
IES Newsflash: NAEP 2006 Economics Results to Be Released Soon
Results from the first-ever NAEP assessment in economics are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 8, 2007. The Nation’s Report Card: Economics 2006 reports on the economic literacy of America’s twelfth-graders. Student knowledge was measured in three areas: market economy, national economy, and international economy.
For more information on the assessment, visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/economics/
On Wednesday the 8th of August, at 10 a.m. ET, view the results online at:
http://nationsreportcard.gov
and view a webcast of the report release event. Join NCES Associate Commissioner Peggy Carr for an online StatChat about the results on the day of the release at 2 p.m. Submit your questions now, and at any time until the end of the chat at 3 p.m., at:
http://nces.ed.gov/statchat/index2.asp
Posted by ronbo at 04:16 PM