Finding and accessing
survey data

SOCI 502
Oct 26, 2020


Jeremy Buhler
Data Librarian, UBC Library Research Commons
jeremy.buhler@ubc.ca

Slides available at

https://jeremybuhler.github.io/SOCI502
Objectives
  • learn where to look for data
  • understand the components of a dataset
  • know where to get help

To annotate in a Zoom presentation

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Never looked for survey data

Have analyzed survey data

UBC Library data and statistics guide

https://guides.library.ubc.ca/datastatistics

Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs)

A microdata file that may have some variables suppressed or aggregated to protect respondent privacy

  • Census of Canada
  • National survey series
    • General Social Survey (GSS)
    • Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)
  • COVID-19 crowdsourcing series

Statistics Canada Open License

https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/reference/licence

Selected data sources

  • Abacus
    Simple search interface for StatCan PUMFs
  • Nesstar
    Powerful variable level search options
  • ICPSR
    Large international collection

See the UBC Library Data and Statistics guide for a list of other data sources