Tips and Guide for Data Users

Learning More

Throughout the year, Research Connections offers several opportunities for data users to learn more about using these files for secondary analysis. Training opportunities range from mini-workshops (1 1/2 hours in length) at professional meetings to in-depth training seminars (3-5 days in length) held as part of the ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods at the University of Michigan.

Additional information about data training opportunities may be found in our trainings section.

Sharing Data through Research Connections

Research Connections encourages the sharing of research and administrative data, both quantitative and qualitative, gathered in the field of child care and early education. Research Connections is uniquely positioned as a vehicle for recipients of Child Care Bureau-funded research grants and contracts, and other projects supported with federal funds, to fulfill the requirement of archiving and making publicly available their completed data. Research Connections also welcomes data from privately funded or independent researchers.

Research Connections provides tools and resources for preparing and disseminating data; developing effective and thorough documentation; assessing the risk of disclosure and identifying steps that can be taken to avoid those risks; disseminating public-use and restricted-use data; training in the use of data for secondary analysis; and preserving data in perpetuity.

Additional resources, including a handbook for use in the preparation of data files, are available on our Web site.