Data deposition at CSDA

The Archive is actively seeking publicly accessible sociological data about Czech society  suitable for archiving and secondary data analysis. CSDA also accepts offers from individual researchers and holders of electronically processable data from sociological surveys who want to make the data publicly accessible and ensure their long term storage.
Among the main conditions for data archiving is the possibility to make the data available for other researchers and processing of the data sets according to principles of personal data protection. All data have to be stored in the form appropriate to further usage outside the research team. The archive stores data sets for the purpose of their archiving, ensures the protection of data against the damage and provides the data for secondary users according to agreed conditions.
Archived data remain the property of the depositor. The Archive and secondary users of data files are required to uphold the author‘s rights.

It is possible to negotiate, on an individual basis, the conditions for making deposited files available to secondary users. On the basis of the mutual agreement with the depositor all sample surveys data and other quantitative data files stored at CSDA are ascribed to one of the following groups according to their availability:

 O - Data sets available on-line.
 A - Data sets available upon meeting the archive’s standard conditions for the provision of files (data users have to sign agreement with the standard conditions for using data sets and their documentation).
 B - Data sets available upon meeting the archive’s standard conditions for the provision of files and other specific conditions, according to the terms set out by the depositor.,
 C - Data sets available only with the written permission of the depositor.
 X - Data sets available only for specific institutions or persons.

There are specific conditions for distribution of the qualitative data sets.
For further information, please, contact Czech Social Sciencel Data Archive, Institute of Sociology AS CR, Jilska 1, 110 00 Praha 1, tel. (+420) 221 183 231, fax (+420) 222 220 143, e-mail: archiv@soc.cas.cz.

The significance of data archiving

The Czech Social Science Data Archive is a standard institution in the social research infrastructure. The Archive is a source of social data and scientific information. It provides services connected to data provision and at the same time it enables the further usage of the products of completed researches, and in this way it increases the effectiveness of the investments into social research. As a matter of course, the efficiency of the archive’s work depends on the wilingess of researchers to share and to archive the data gathered within conducted research projects.

The main advantages for depositing data in archives are following:

• Simplification of  data usage outside the research team, providing  sources for new studies and increasing  research effectiveness;
• Long-term storage and provision of  sociological information;
• Maintaining  digital materials’ compatible with intensive technology development;
• Providing the opportunity to search and combine different data and information sources in  research,
• Implementation of the data into the international data exchange system: The Archive creates a communication network for international collaboration and serves as a background for international comparative research;
• Formation of the resource of study materials provided for academic sphere, teaching at universities and doctoral studies;
• Creating the possibility to provide public control over the quality of the data and verification of published outputs from data interpretation;
• Striving to attain and develop research standards;
• Creating the background for development and testing methods of data analysis;
• Harmonisation of data sources and methods of comparative research;
• Facilitation of the development of repetitive (panel \ continuous) studies even after the discontinuation of the research team;
• Access to the existent sources of sociological information contributes to popularization of sociology among the general public.

Data management

Every research project should include the plan for data preparation and processing, which should define the process of data documentation, the approach to testing data quality, and the policy of data usage after the end of the project.

The main parts of mentioned plan should be as following:

• Needs assessment, definition of data sets usage – who and when will have access to the data;
• Determination of the content of documentations and technology, scheduling the acquisition of the necessary data;
• Planning data acquisition techniques, managing and checking the data file, maintaining its integrity, control of the data quality with respect to the impact on constructing the research instruments and other phases of the research process;
• Protection of the respondents’ personal data.

Documentation standards

Sufficient documentation is necessary for adequate data usage for the purpose of research. The minimum documentation standards compulsory for all the members are specified for example by:
 Czech Association of Marketing Research Agencies SIMAR
 World Association of Opinion and Marketing Research Professionals ESOMAR (ICC/ESOMAR International Code Rule 25)

The definitions of good standards are also available in documents of World Association for Public Opinion Research a American Association for Public Opinion Research:
 Standards and Best Practices
 AAPOR/WAPOR Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys

Digitalisation and processing of qualitative data

Check on-line advisory service of the MEDARD archive.

Detailed manuals for data preparation and archiving

 ICPSR Guide to Social Science Data Preparation and Archiving
 ESDS Access and Preservation