Data Management and Statistical Programming
Jeanne Spicer,
Manager, Data Management and Programming Services
Staff and
Services
SSRI provides some statistical programming and data management services. SSRI affiliates can hire a programmer for their project for consultation on programming methods and strategies; engage in training and workshops on programming; consult on statistical methods and the use of popular social science data collections; request preparation of data extracts from the PRI data archive; and request file conversion services.
Programmers are assigned to a project based on availability and skills required. While individual programmers are assigned to faculty research projects, faculty benefit from the skills and experience of the entire programming staff. Programming staff members support research projects with a wide range of services, including the following:
- Project management: generate technical documentation and codebooks for
in-house and public-release data; design and maintain project web sites;
train and mentor graduate assistants engaged in data analysis
- Data management: High-level computer programming to combine and modify
data sets and impute missing data; design and maintain databases;
implement appropriate security measures for sensitive data; build
computerized and web-based data collection systems
- Research applications programming: Conduct univariate and multivariate statistical analyses; generate statistical graphs and visualizations; advise on data management strategies and software requirements for grant proposals; assist faculty and research assistants who write their own code; design graphical user interfaces for research applications
Programmers collaborate with SSRI staff members from other service areas to ensure that SSRI software systems can deliver the information needed by faculty researchers to administer and conduct cutting-edge social science research.
Because limited staff time is available, programming services are assigned on a space-available basis. Researchers are advised to contact the Data Management and Programming Services unit (Jeanne Spicer, spicer@pop.psu.edu) in the early stages of planning a research project.
Last modified: 08/12/08 | Contact Webmaster
