Introduction to data support services and resources for public policy

Introduction to data support
services and resources for
public policy
Stuart Macdonald
Associate Data Librarian
Introductory Analysis of Policy course, Academy of
Government's MSc public policy program
University of Edinburgh
8 October, 2015

Outline
 Data Library consultancy and resources
 Research Data Management (RDM)
 Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA)
 National data services for social sciences
 UK social and political surveys
 Population census
 Non-academic data sources
 National statistical agencies
 A data future!

What is a data library?
A data library refers to both the content and the services that
foster use of collections of numeric and/or geospatial data sets
for secondary use in research. A data library is normally part of a
larger institution (academic, scientific, medical, governmental,
etc.) established to serve the data users of that organisation.
The data library tends to house local data collections and
provides access through various means (online or central server
for download). A data library may also maintain subscriptions to
licensed data products.

Data Library - http://www.ed.ac.uk/is/data-library

Data Library & consultancy
 Finding…
“I need to analyse some data for a project, but all I can find are published papers
with tables and graphs, not the original data source.”
 Accessing …
“I’ve found the data I need, but I’m not sure how to gain access to it.”
 Using …
“I’ve got the data I need, but I’m not sure how to analyse it in my chosen software.”
 Managing …
“I have collected my own data and I’d like to document and preserve it and make it
available to others.”
 Reference interviews
 Data Library catalogue: http://datalib.edina.ac.uk/catalogue

Data Library resources
 Large-scale social science survey data
 Country and regional level time series data
 Population and agricultural census data
 Financial data
 Data for mapping
 Resources for teaching
 Opening hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm (Tues, Weds,Thurs)
Lower Ground Floor East, Main Library
Tel.: 0131 651 1431 or 0131 651 1744
Email: datalib@ed.ac.uk

Research Data Management (RDM)
 RDM is a general term covering how you organize, structure,
store, and care for the digital data used or generated during a
research project. It includes:
• Planning how your data will be looked after – many funders now
require data plans as part of grant applications
• How you deal with information on a day-to-day basis over the lifetime
of a project
• What happens to data in the longer term – what you do with it after
the project concludes

Why research data management is important

RDM Services
 RDM training:
 Research Data MANTRA - Open online course aimed at researchers
and others managing digital data as part of the research process -
http://datalib.edina.ac.uk/mantra
 Institutional data repository provision
 Edinburgh Datashare - http://datashare.is.ed.ac.uk/
 Assistance with deposit in national archives
 Assistance with Data Management Plans (DMPs)
 Contributes to the University’s RDM Programme:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/is/data-management

Survey Documentation and Analysis
(SDA)
SDA allows users to discover and analyse microdata online, and to download user-
defined subsets of data in formats conversant with statistical analysis packages.

Introduction to
National Data Services
and Support

Applied Quantitative Methods Network (AQMeN) -
http://aqmen.ac.uk/
 Original aim was to build capacity in the use of quantitative methods
amongst Scotland’s social science community and beyond.
 AQMeN is a Research Centre that aims to develop projects to improve our
understanding of current social issues in the UK and provide policy makers
and practitioners with independent research-based evidence to build a
better future.
 Funded by ESRC (2013-2016) AQMeN has three primary strands of
research involving a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the UK and
abroad :
• Crime and victimisation
• Education and social stratification
• Urban segregation and inequality
 AQMeN offer practical quantitative methods training on a range of
techniques developed as part of their programme of research
 Data Library host and manage the AQMeN website

Introduction to data support services and resources for public policy

UK Data Archive
Founded in 1967 and based at the University of Essex
ESRC / JISC-funded
Houses several thousand social science and humanities datasets
Provides resource discovery and support for secondary use of
quantitative and qualitative data in learning, teaching and research.
More recently it has worked with environmental and medical data
sources.
Host to the UK Data Service which provides the following facilities:
• History Data Service
• Census.ac.uk
• Variable and question bank
• Secure Lab
• Qualibank

UK Data Service (UKDS)
£17 million investment over 5 years
Funded by ESRC – new service is structured to support researchers in
academia, business, third sector and all levels of government
Commenced 1 October 2012 – integrated ESDS, Census Programme,
Secure Data Service, and other elements of the data service
infrastructure provided by ESRC, including UKDA
A single point of access to economic and social data
Distributed service led by Univ. of Essex in collaboration with:
Jisc Manchester, Cathie Marsh Centre for Census & Survey Research (Univ. of Manchester)
School of Geography (Univ. of Leeds)
Geography and Environment (Univ. of Southampton)
EDINA (Univ. of Edinburgh)
Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (UCL)

UKDS - http://ukdataservice.ac.uk/

UKDS features include:
Data – free to download for academic purposes upon registration in formats
conversant with statistical analysis packages, full/partial catalogue search, browse by
subject, also links to major studies, new releases
Support – finding data, online guides, learning and teaching resources, online data
analysis tools (Nesstar, Beyond 20/20), external statistical sources, FAQ
Resources – Online data browsing tools, metadata tools, qualitative tools
Advice for managing, depositing, sharing research data - best
practice for ESRC researchers and beyond, preservation guidelines
News & Events – workshops, new data, publications (incl. good practice guides)

• Part of "EDINA and Data Library" division of Information
Services at the University of Edinburgh
• Develops and delivers shared online services and infrastructure
to support research and education in the UK
• Services free at the point of use for use by staff and students in
learning, teaching and research through institutional
subscription
• Focus is on service delivery and support but also undertake R&D
(projects  services)
 delivers about 20 online services
 employs about 80 staff (Edinburgh & St Helens)
EDINA – a Jisc centre for digital expertise and online service
delivery – http://edina.ac.uk

EDINA Digimap - http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/

Administrative Data Research Network (ADRN)-
http://www.adrn.ac.uk/

Major UK social & political surveys
A range of microdata sets are freely available to University researchers. These are
predominantly longitudinal or cross-sectional studies.
Longitudinal surveys: the same panel or ‘cohort’ is surveyed over a period
of time – change over time can be measured and collected
Advantages:
• Ability to show the patterns of variable change over time – to show ‘cause and effect’
relationships
Disadvantages:
• Attrition over time – some subjects will no longer be able to participate (due to death, refusal,
changes in contact information) – thus cutting down on useable data from which conclusions
can be drawn
• Data collected at multiple (pre-determined) points in time – cannot take into account
whatever has happened in between ‘touch-points’

Cross-sectional surveys: a new representative sample is selected for
each study
Advantages:
• More affordable when compared to a similar longitudinal study
• Allows researchers to compare many different variables at the same time (‘snapshot’)
• With fewer ‘touch-points’ (no follow up) they are also much quicker in reaching an
observational conclusion
• Provided the sample size is carefully chosen, cross-sectional studies can be helpful in
representing entire populations, rather than selected subsets. This can be beneficial
when considering policy change.
Disadvantages:
• The single survey nature means that it may not be possible to make conclusive
observations about the direction of any association between variables.
• Do not consider what happens before or after the ‘snapshot’ is taken.

Longitudinal Surveys
Understanding Society – the UK Household Longitudinal Study
Study
(Incorporates the British Household Panel Survey) - Commenced : 2009.
Surveys 50,000 adults and 4,000 young people at over 30,000 selected addresses, who are
followed up annually, even if they move home.
Main topics: person’s state of health, experiences of crime, personal finances, bringing up
finances, bringing up children, involvement with local communities, working lives, personal and
political views and outlook.
Access: UK Data Service, http://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/series/?sn=200005
Growing up in Scotland - Commenced : 2005.
Longitudinal study of Scottish children from infancy to their teens, with eight sweeps planned.
Main Topics: Characteristics and circumstances of children and their families, housing and
housing and neighbourhood, eating habits, participation in educational, social and recreational
activities, health and development, parenting
styles and support, pre-school and school experience, parental health, family and social
networks.

Longitudinal Surveys cont’d
Millennium Cohort Study - Commenced: 2001.
Following 19,000 babies born in the UK in 2001.
Main Topics: Household information, early education, schooling and childcare, child and family
childcare, child and family activities and child’s behaviour, parenting activities, child’s health,
parent’s health, employment, income and education, housing and local area, older siblings’
leisure time activities, extra activities at school, classes outside school, home life.
Other longitudinal surveys include:
• Scottish School Leavers Survey (1991-)
• 1970 British Cohort Study
• Scottish Longitudinal Study (2007-)

Cross-sectional Surveys
Integrated Household Survey (Continuous Population Survey) - Commenced:

Cross-sectional Surveys cont’d
Labour Force Survey (England, Wales & Scotland) – Commenced: 1979.
1979.
Repeated quarterly cross-sectional study of 100,000 households, of which 7,800 in Scotland.
Main Topics: Household, family structure, basic housing information and demographic details
demographic details of household members, economic activity, employment status, earnings,
education and health.
British Social Attitudes Survey – Commenced: 1983.
Annual repeated cross-sectional study. 3,400 cases, of which 270 in Scotland.
Main Topics: Housing & home ownership, work & unemployment, health & social care,
social care, education, social security, tax & spending, welfare state, transport, environment &
the countryside, law & order, civil liberties, racism & sexism, social inequality, religion, politics &
governance.
or via: http://www.britsocat.com
Other cross-sectional surveys include: Family Resources Survey (1992-); British Election study (1964-);
Scottish Health Survey (1995-): ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (1990-)

UK population census
Censuses are comprehensive surveys, on standard topics, conducted at single points in
time incl. demography, household and families, health, economic activity, travel,
education, religion, housing
Aims to be a 100% head count of population: resident, absent, communal
establishments, no fixed abode (e.g. 1.5% of population ‘unaccounted’ for in 1991).
Statutory basis, legally compulsory to respond, confidentiality guaranteed (1920 Census
Act & 1991 amendment).
Data are collected nationally at a very local level
There is much standardisation across censuses conducted in 4 UK territories, but
substantial differences do occur, both in input (e.g. religion question) and output
(defining census geographies).

UK Data Service Census Support -
http://census.ac.uk

Census microdata -
Census.ac.uk does not hold the census longitudinal data. These can be found at:
England and Wales (ONS LS): CeLSIUS - http://www.ucl.ac.uk/celsius/ (from 1971, 1% sample - linked to births,
deaths, cancer registrations, highly confidential).
Scotland (SLS): SLS-Development and Support Unit - http://sls.lscs.ac.uk/ (from 1991, 5.3% sample – c. 274,000
individuals were selected using 20 random birthdates, linked to vital events, health information, weather and
pollution data, and census data from 1991 and 2011)
Northern Ireland (NILS): NILS-RSU - http://www.qub.ac.uk/research- centres/NILSResearchSupportUnit/ (from
1981, 28% sample - linked to vital events, migration data, health data)
Samples of Anonymised Records (SARs) – also
available for 1991, 2001)
Unanonymised (All academic researchers need to
satisfy the Approved Researcher Criteria)

Aggregate data
 The InFuse Tool has aggregate data for
selected variables down to local
authority level (also OA for England and
Wales)
 includes data from the 2001 and 2011
censuses of Scotland, England, Wales and
Northern Ireland
 data downloaded as raw asci (csv)
 can be used to compare data from the
different constituent parts of the UK.
 Casweb provides access to UK aggregate
data for the 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001
Censuses (down to OA level).

Government data sources
 National Records of Scotland (NRS) –
http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/
 Scottish Census 2011 – Data Explorer –
http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/
 Office for National Statistics (ONS) –
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/index.html
 ONS Neighbourhood Statistics –
http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/
 ONS Open Geography Portal
https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk/geoportal/catalog/main/home.page
 Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (SNS) –
http://www.sns.gov.uk/ (to be replaced soon by
the Scottish Statistics website)
 NISRA - http://www.nisra.gov.uk/
 Welsh Government Statistics - http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/
 Data.Gov.UK - http://data.gov.uk/
 Eurostat – http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

The Guardian Datastore has loads of examples of telling stories with data

Open Knowledge Foundation - School of Data
- https://okfn.org/
- http://www.datacarpentry.org/Data Carpentry

A Data future
“The ability to take data - to be able to understand it, to
process it, to extract value from it, to visualise it, to
communicate it –that’s going to be a hugely important skill
in the next decades.”
Hal Varian, Google’s chief economist.
“Data is the new oil!”
Clive Humby, Assoc. of National Advertisers
Senior marketer’s summit, 2006
“The coolest thing to do with your data will be thought of by
someone else”
Rufus Pollock , Founder and President of Open Knowledge
Based on a slide by Marieke Guy, UKOLN

Pics from Flickr (creative commons attribution) – credits
include: D Sharon Pruitt
Ask us about data
datalib@ed.ac.uk

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