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German Microdata Lab

GESIS Service Center for Microdata

Project extension proposal: Research Network Data Centers. Improving access for researchers to microdata, sub-project: "Pilot project for setting up a GESIS Service Center for Microdata"

This project involves ongoing funding of the pilot project on setting up a GESIS Service Center for Microdata (project duration: 01.07.2003-31.12.2006). Ongoing support for the project is to establish the Microdata Information System MISSY and to complete the preparation and processing of the pre-1989 microcensus.

MISSY II – Microdata Information System

Processing: Jeanette Bohr, Nina Chudziak, Oliver Hopt, Andrea Lengerer, Julia Schroedter
Directors: Dr. Christof Wolf, Dr. Maximilian Stempfhuber
Scientific section: “Social Monitoring and Social Change” and “Information Processes in the Social Sciences”
Contact: Jeanette Bohr

Project description:

MISSY is a systematic online service making data-relevant information available that is vital for the analysis of official microdata. Economists and social scientists specializing in empirical research can therefore use microdata more easily and benefit from sustained support when obtaining official microdata. Four partial aspects are at the forefront: collection and collation of data-relevant information, extending access options, efficient use of data from various measurement points, and increasing effectiveness of information retrieval. 

After a prototype was developed for the microcensus in the previous project phase, the next phase of the project – MISSY II – integrates metadata on all scientific use files of the microcensus basic file between 1973 and 2005, and the scientific use file of the microcensus regional file. In addition, the contents of the MISSY service spectrum are to be expanded and integrated into the GESIS social science specialist portal, SOWIPORT.

In the MISSY II project, the section information processes in the social sciences in close cooperation with the German Microdata Lab oversees the implementation of new information technology for MISSY components. This includes a DDI-compatible metadata editor, a DDI-web service to access data sets in DDI-format and the interactive presentation of MISSY contents on the Internet.

Project duration:

01 January - 31 December 2009

Funded by: 

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Publications:

Bohr, Jeanette, Oliver Hopt, Andrea Lengerer, Julia Schroedter, Andias
Wira-Alam (2010): Mikrodaten-Informationssystem MISSY: Metadaten zu den
Mikrozensus Scientific Use Files (Abschlussbericht MISSY II).
GESIS-Technical Report 2010/07. Mannheim: GESIS. [PDF: 2.5 MB (2.61 MB)]

Bohr, Jeanette (2007): Abschlussbericht MISSY Nutzerstudie. ZUMA-Methodenbericht 2007/01. [PDF: 780 kB (591 kB)]

Preparation and processing of pre-1989 microcensus files for scientific use

Processing: Yvonne Lechert
Director: Dr. Christof Wolf
Scientific section: “Social Monitoring and Social Change”
Contact: Yvonne Lechert

Project description:

In the completion phase of the preparation project, the 1985 and 1987 collection times of the microcensus are compiled as scientific use file and a comprehensive metadata service is processed for the collection times 1978, 1980, 1985 and 1987.

In cooperation with the Research Data Center of the Statistical Offices of the Länder (Düsseldorf), a campus file of the 1976 microcensus is designed and processed, and corresponding documentation material is prepared. Finally, following the release of the campus file, a learning module will be introduced to facilitate study work with the campus file of the 1976 microcensus.

Project duration:

01 January 2008 - 31 December 2008

Funded by: Federal Ministry of Education and Research