- What is the Data Archive?
- Where do the data come from?
- Data Greatest Hits
- Where do Archive data live?
- How to find data?
- What numeric file formats does the Archive own?
- What documentation file formats does the Archive own?
- Accessing Archive studies
- Who are those people in the Archive?
- Other Cornell data sources
- Help using Archive resources
- Credits
What documentation file formats does the Archive own?
A lot of our documentation is still in printed, hardcopy format. In fact, this is true for many recently acquired datasets as well as older ones . For example, a catalog search for the 1995 Virginia Slims poll indicates that there is only one file for this study, a datafile.
1995 Virginia Slims American Women's Opinion Poll
Virginia Slims. New York: Roper Organization, 1995 [producer]. Storrs, CT: Roper Center for Public Opinion Research [distributor]. Note: Roper Archive Study USRSPVASLIMS94-543/065. Survey conducted in 1994. Codebook: SIB-2006(1995).
File Information:
Type
of File: Data
Directory\Filename: U:\ArchiveData\sib\2006\slim95.dat
Logical Record Length (LRECL): 854
Number of Records: 4002
Record Format (RECFM): C
Bytes (compressed): 767550
Bytes (uncompressed): 3425712
Therefore, any supporting documentation for this study is in printed format only and shelved in the archive by codebook number SIB-2006(1995).
When documentation is machine-readable, we try to store it the same "generic" format as datafiles; that is, ascii text. This means it can be read by any word-processing package and even simple software such as Notepad, Wordpad, or SimpleText.
However, it doesn't always arrive that way. Many documentation files are now in PDF format for use with the Adobe Reader software or as Microsoft Word or WordPerfect files. If files require use of proprietary software, this is usually indicated in the file information:
Type
of File: Documentation
Directory\Filename: U:\ArchiveData\nyed\001\imf9900_non-public.doc
Technote: Binary
- use MS Word to view.
Type of File: Documentation
Directory\Filename: U:\ArchiveData\sib\2010\Recodhs3.wpd
Technote:
Binary file - use WordPerfect to view.
Type of File: Codebook
Directory\Filename: U:\ArchiveData\pub\053\cb2864.pdf
Technote: Binary
- use Adobe Acrobat to view.
In many cases, data have both machine-readable and printed documentation. For example:
Independent Sector Survey: Giving and Volunteering, 1994
Gallup Organization. Princeton, NJ : The Gallup Organization, 1994 [producer]. Storrs, CT : The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, 1997 [distributor]. Codebook: SIND-019.
File Information:
Type of File: Codebook
Directory\Filename: U:\ArchiveData\sind\019\m-give94.cbk
Type of File: Data
Directory\Filename: U:\ArchiveData\sind\019\give94.dat
Type of File: SPSS
Data Definition Stmt
Directory\Filename: U:\ArchiveData\sind\019\m-give94.sps
Although there is a machine-readable codebook for this survey, we also own a hardcopy questionnaire. A good rule of thumb is to check with Archive staff about availability of printed documentation when using a study.
