Standard Setups and Background Variables

"Standard setups" for each ISSP module define the standardised technical data format for the integrated data file of that ISSP module.

Regarding the substantial contents of the variables, member countries have to follow the basic questionnaire of the respective module for the annually changing module part and the list of standard background variables for demographic variables that are constant across all modules. (See this link for information on other mandatory material.)

All country data sets must be processed and prepared to match this technical and substantial structure before the material is delivered to GESIS-ZA for integration and archiving. For this purpose, GESIS-ZA provides Standard Setup files for current and upcoming ISSP modules here as necessary. If errors or problems in the setup files are detected, revised versions are made available. ISSP members working with the setup files are therefore kindly asked to notify us of any problems they discover!

The setup files are available in two formats. All members may use SPSS syntax files. Users of the ISSP DataWizard need the files in XML format.

Note that setup files after ISSP 2004 have undergone some technical revisions compared to previous ISSP setups. Among them is a change in the abbreviations used for country names, which now accord to ISO 3611-1 where possible.

• Find a list with the codes for country abbreviations here.
  (updated 2008-02-02)

To download the files to your computer, use the 'Save as...' or 'Save link as ...' function of your browser on the appropriate links below.

• Standard setup for ISSP 2008 (Religion III)

  Download the SPSS syntax file
  Download the XML file

  • 2008-02-02: First version.
  • Special coding instructions on ATTEND/Q. 24-Q.26 and RELIG/Q. 20-23:
    ATTEND: In the Religion 2008 module, members should administer the background variable on Respondent's attendance as requested by the Religion Drafting Group, i.e. with the same set of nine response categories as in Q 24-26/V56-V58. Please code this detailed information into the variable ATTD_EXT.
    Furthermore, the final data set (and accordingly, the Standard Setup) will contain a second variable for the Respondent's attendance. This variable will be recoded by the Archive from the more detailed version above to have only eight categories, consistent with the usual coding scheme according to the background variables scheme for ATTEND.
    RELIG/V48-V55: Q. 20-23/V48-V55 should be coded exactly as the respondent's own current religion, which is coded into RELIG and RELIGGRP. Therefore, there are two variables for each of Q. 20-23, a first one with the detailed religion codes, a second one with a classification.
     

• Standard setup for ISSP 2007 (Leisure and Sports)

Download the SPSS syntax file
Download the XML file

• 2007-06-11:
  • Value labels of variables MARITAL and COHAB have been adapted to the background variables list, hopefully reducing the confusion about COHAB covering people living in a marriage or not (intention: COHAB should include only UNmarried respondents)
  • Modification of ATTEND, label of code 7: less frequently than once a year.
  • New variable "SUBSCASE" to cover case substitution flagging. New labels for CZ_INC, CZ_RINC and CZ_PRTY as provided by Czechia with 2006 deposit.
  • Removed periods from line ends in COMMENTS, to avoid SPSS error messages.
• 2007-01-19: An error in the values of V39/Question 8b was corrected, everyone please use the updated version! "Board games" wrongly was counted as a category of its own (Code 1). This has now been removed, the other categories have all moved up one code. Thus, "Backgammon" is now code 1 and so on.
• 2007-01-11: First version.

• Standard setup for ISSP 2006 (Role of Government IV)

Download the SPSS syntax file
Download the XML file

• 2007-01-11: New system of ISO country coding completely implemented. Numerous updates in country specific background variables, in particular standardisation of missing values.
• 2006-03-13: First version.

• Users of the ISSP DataWizard should use the opportunity to check for updates to the DataWizard software at the support site (login required).

Standard Background Variables

The current version of the ISSP core background variables was agreed upon at the 2001 ISSP meeting in Umeå. The background variables are compulsory except 'nat_ETHN'.

• The complete list of the background variables in PDF format can be found here.
• The complete list of the background variables in MS Word Format can be found here.

Note: Value labels for designated country specific Standard Background Variables (like e.g. nat_DEGR 'education II - country specific categories', see documents on Background Variables above) are provided. Otherwise, the setups contain only value labels which are identical in ALL countries.

Adding/Updating Value Labels

New ISSP members are asked to supply the GESIS-ZA with their country specific VALUE LABELS as soon as their country's field questionnaire is ready. Only then can such label updates be included into the standard setup files above!

All ISSP members are asked to supply updated country specific VALUE LABELS if these changed compared to previous standard setups.