Help - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Answers to some of our most frequently asked questions are provided here. If you are unable to find an answer to your question please contact us by selecting one of the short web forms available from Help.
How do I obtain a username and password?
I am outside the UK, can I use your data?
Is there a guide to registering?
What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?
How do I renew my UK Data Service registration?
When I try to register my organisation does not appear on the list, what should I do?
My browser is not set up to allow cookies, can I still use this service?
What is federated access management?
Federated access management - technical information for identity providers/institutions
Advice for Shibboleth 2.x organisations
Why do I get an 'Unauthorised organisation' message?
Why do I get an 'Authorisation failed' message?
Why am I transferred to the login prompt several times/cannot log in to your services?
Why do I get a 'No access' message?
Why do I get an error message/blank screen when trying to log into Nesstar?
From any UK Data Service page:
- Click the 'Login/Register' button
- Select 'Login to the UK Data Service'
- The following page asks for the name of the organisation you wish to sign in with; enter the name of your organisation, or choose from the list of organisations maintained by the UK Access Management Federation. If you have a username (beginning 'ukd') issued to you by the UK Data Archive, enter 'UK Data Archive' as your organisation
- Enter your institutional username and password, or those provided to you by the UK Data Archive
- If you are a registered user you will then be logged into your account. From here you can access your personal details, your usage details, and order history. If you have not yet registered, you will be prompted to do so at this point
How do I obtain a username and password?
If you are based at a UK institution of higher or further education (UK HE/FE), you will need to contact your library, IT helpdesk or e-resources administrator. Your institutional web pages or intranet may also contain useful information on how to obtain a username and password.
If you are not at a UK institution of HE/FE, or are not associated with any organisation, you can apply for a UK Data Archive username and password at Application for a UK Data Archive username.
Note: If you are not at a UK HE/FE institution, a UK Data Archive username and password will not entitle you to access certain data, e.g. International macrodata and much of the census data.
I am outside the UK, can I use your data?
Yes you can. If you are outside the UK you will need to apply for a UK Data Archive username and password at Application for a UK Data Archive username, and then register with the UK Data Service. However, some data collections are not available for non UK users so check the catalogue record for any access restrictions.
Note: If you are not at a UK HE/FE institution, a UK Data Archive username and password will not entitle you to access certain data, e.g. International macrodata and much of the census data.
Is there a guide to registering?
See our How to access section for details on registering and accessing our data.
What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?
If you are using a username and password issued to you by your institution you should contact your local IT helpdesk, library, or e-resources administrator for help. If you are using a username and password issued by the UK Data Archive, and beginning with 'ukd', you can request a reminder from the 'UK Data Archive' login screen. This screen will be displayed after you have entered 'UK Data Archive' as your organisation during the login process. If you have problems requesting these details please contact the Helpdesk and a reminder will be sent to you.
How do I renew my UK Data Service registration?
If you log in to your account within ten months after your expiry date, you will automatically be taken into the page containing your registered details. If you then click 'Submit' your registration will be renewed for a further 12 months. If it is more than ten months since your registration expired, you will be asked to provide some personal information, including the email address you originally registered with. If the information entered matches our records an email will be sent to you containing a link to renew your registration.
When I try to register my organisation does not appear on the list, what should I do?
If you are logging in using a username beginning 'ukd' you will need to select 'UK Data Archive' as your organisation. If you are logging in using a username issued to you by a UK HE/FE institution, or an organisation which is part of the UK Access Management Federation, contact the Helpdesk and ask for your organisation to be included on the list.
My browser is not set up to allow cookies, can I still use this service?
The UK Data Service and UK Data Archive require that cookies are accepted on your PC. The most common reason for not being able to log in is that cookies are being blocked on your PC.
To check whether your computer is set up to accept cookies, or to change the current settings:
- Firefox 3.0: Go to Tools -> Options -> Privacy. Under History, select Firefox will: 'Use custom settings for history' -> Accept cookies from sites
- Internet Explorer 7.0 and 8.0: Go to Tools -> Internet Options -> Privacy -> Advanced, and 'Accept' cookies
- Opera 10.0: Go to Settings -> Quick Preferences -> Enable cookies
What is federated access management?
Federated access management (e.g. shibboleth) allows users to securely access external services using the same username and password they use to access local services at their own institution.
In order to use federated access management, an institution must join the UK Access Management Federation and either implement Identity Provider software, or outsource that provision to a third party (e.g. Eduserv using OpenAthens).
Federated access management user authentication (shibboleth) has been implemented for UK Data Service and UK Data Archive services.
Federated access management - technical information for identity providers/institutions
User accountability:
Organisations within the UK federation have the opportunity to assert that, where unique persistent attributes are associated with a user, they will ensure that these attribute values are not re-issued to another user for at least 24 months after the last possible use by the previous user.
The UK Data Service and the UK Data Archive provide a one-stop registration service for multiple distributed service providers and this service requires knowledge of the identity of a user in case there is a breach of its terms and conditions. Also some data collections held require an agreement to special conditions before access is allowed. Only users attached to Federation Identity Providers Asserting User Accountability can gain access to any service reliant upon the assertion of user accountability.
Attributes:
For access to UK Data Service/UK Data Archive resources, institutions must release the following attributes to https://safari.data-archive.ac.uk/shibboleth-sp:
- eduPersonScopedAffiliation: a user's organisational affiliation. The unscoped value of eduPersonScopedAffiliation must be member or equivalent (i.e. student, staff, faculty or employee)
- eduPersonTargetedID: a persistent user pseudonym for personalisation
WAYFless URLs:
The UK Access Management Federation login page is known as the 'Where Are You From (WAYF)' page. Institutions using the UK Access Management Federation can bypass both the UK Data Service login page and the WAYF page. The following example shows the WAYFless URLs for the University of Sheffield. These can be adapted for other institutions by replacing the initial 'idp.shef.ac.uk' as appropriate:
UK Data Service (formally ESDS):
https://idp.shef.ac.uk/shibboleth-idp/SSO?target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eesds%2Eac%2Euk%2Fsecure%2Fregister%5Fstart%2Easp&shire=https%3A%2F%2Fsafari.data-archive.ac.uk%2FShibboleth.sso%2FSAML%2FPOST&providerId=https%3A%2F%2Fsafari.data-archive.ac.uk%2Fshibboleth-sp
Please note that our login process is using the ESDS domain so the reference to this in the URL above is correct.
Advice for Shibboleth 2.x organisations
Organisations upgrading from Shibboleth 1.3 to 2.x should ensure they are releasing the correct format of eduPersonTargetedID, otherwise their users will not be able to access the UK Data Archive/ESDS/Census.ac.uk resources. The UK Access Management Federation have provided the following advice for organisations upgrading a Shibboleth IdP from 1.3 to 2.x:
"When upgrading your Shibboleth 1.3 IdP to 2.x it is important to ensure that the final Shibboleth 2.x installation and registration has the same entity ID as the Shibboleth 1.3 IdP, and that the same Salt string is used to generate the eduPersonTargetedID attribute. This will ensure that the eduPersonTargetedID values released for your users will not change as a result of the upgrade, and this in turn will ensure that users' personalisations and registrations will be retained at SPs after the upgrade".
Extracted from: Configuring a Shibboleth 2.x Identity Provider for the UK Federation.
Please see Upgrade of Shibboleth IdP from 1.3 to 2.x for further information.
Why do I get an 'Unauthorised organisation' message?
If you get this message it means that the organisation supplying your login credentials is not authorised for use with this service. Organisations within the UK Access Management Federation have the opportunity to assert that, where unique persistent attributes are associated with a user, they will ensure that these attribute values are not re-issued to another user for at least 24 months after the last possible use by the previous user.
This acceptance of 'user accountability' is a requirement for access to UK Data Service/UK Data Archive resources. It appears that your organisation does not assert user accountability and is therefore not permitted access. If your organisation is listed at Federation Identity Providers Asserting User Accountability, contact our Helpdesk to request access for your organisation. If your organisation is not listed, contact your library, IT help desk or e-resources administrator to ask if they are able to assert user accountability.
Why do I get an 'Authorisation failed' message?
For access to UK Data Service/UK Data Archive resources your institution must provide the following credentials, in the correct format, for you:
- eduPersonTargetedID
- eduPersonScopedAffiliation
You can check which attributes are being released for your account by your institution at the ZETOC website. Select your institution from the relevant dropdown list and then log in using your institutional details. Check that the 'TargetedID' and 'ScopedAffiliation' details are 'released'. Also, check the prefix for ScopedAffiliation: if this is 'affiliate', 'alum' or anything other than those shown below, you will be unable to log in.
- staff@xxxx
- member@xxxx
- student@xxxx
- faculty@xxxx
- employee@xxxx
If the required attributes are not being released, or if you think the prefix for ScopedAffiliation is incorrect, contact your IT helpdesk or e-resources administrator for further assistance. Note that attributes should be released to https://safari.data-archive.ac.uk/shibboleth-sp.
Users from institutions that have recently upgraded to Shibboleth 2.x may experience problems if their institution is not releasing the correct form of the eduPersonTargetedID. To check that the correct attributes are being released use the ZETOC website, as described above, and then check that your details include information for the 'Targeted ID (1)' attribute. If no information is shown, contact your library, IT helpdesk or e-resources administrator to ask them to release this information.
Further details are available from Advice for Shibboleth 2.x organisations.
The Athens authentication system is no longer supported by the the UK Data Service/UK Data Archive and has been replaced by federated access management.
Single Sign On (SSO) is a system which allows you to enter user credentials only once in order to gain subsequent access to a number of disparate resources. Once logged in you may access any SSO services which you are entitled to access, without logging in again within any one browser session. A browser session lasts for eight hours or until you close your browser window.
Why am I transferred to the login prompt several times/cannot log in to your services?
The UK Data Service uses Single Sign On which requires that cookies are accepted on your PC. The most common reason for not being able to log in is that cookies are blocked on your PC. To check whether cookies are enabled on your PC check our cookie information.
Why do I get a 'No access' message?
If you are not at a UK institution of higher or further education and you try to access International macrodata or selected Census datasets, you should see the following message: "Access to these resources is only available to academic users from Higher and Further Education in the United Kingdom." If you think you are receiving this message in error, contact the Helpdesk.
Why do I get an error message/blank screen when trying to log into Nesstar?
Internet Explorer (IE) users may receive an error message, or a blank screen, when trying to log in, due to the way in which some institutions have set up their federated access management system. Because Nesstar uses frames, and the frame containing the login dialogue comes from a server other than the surrounding site, Internet Explorer treats this as a third party site and therefore does not accept cookies from it with IE's default security settings. Users are advised to either use Firefox, or with the permission of their IT helpdesk, change IE's settings as follows:
Tools -> Internet Options -> Privacy -> Advanced -> Override automatic cookie handling -> Always allow session cookies
Questions about how to find and access data
How do I find a particular dataset?
How do I find studies on a particular subject?
What formats are the data available in?
Can I check the contents of a dataset before I obtain it?
Can I obtain data from other archives?
What is international macrodata?
How do I find a particular dataset?
Datasets can be found in Discover by using its facets/filters, and by entering specific information such as the study title, in the search box.
How do I find studies on a particular subject?
Each dataset in Discover is assigned one or more subject categories to reflect the overall subject area of the data at study level. The 'subject' facet can be used to browse our studies by broad subject area, e.g. education.
Researchers, students and teachers from any discipline, organisation or country may register with the UK Data Service and obtain data. However, some datasets have restrictions on access due to the data redistribution licence agreements we have with our data providers. For example: our International macrodata and Census data (from 1971 onwards) are only made available to users from UK higher or further education institutions; commercial use of our data may also be restricted and further details are available from our Commercial users page; permission may be required from the depositor. Details are available in the individual records within Discover.
Further information on how to obtain data is available from How to access.
Only staff and students from UK higher and further education institutions are eligible to access much of the data found within Census Support, such as aggregate data, flow data and boundary data. However, census microdata has different access conditions depending on the dataset.
Access to the data requires registration with the UK Data Service. We use federated access management (shibboleth) user authentication, and you will need a username and password to register. Further details are provided in How to access, Registration and the Login and Registration FAQs.
What formats are the data available in?
Most survey datasets are available to download in SPSS, Stata and tab-delimited (suitable for use in MS Excel) formats. Other UK Data Service systems, including Nesstar, provide other data formats, such as Statistica and Dbase.
Our International macrodata are available online via Beyond 20/20, UKDS.Stat or the IMF eLibrary. Data/tables can be downloaded in Beyond 20/20, MS Excel and comma-separated formats.
Data from the census are accessed via bespoke tools to produce extracts online which can then be read into a spreadsheet or mapping package using boundary data in a variety of formats. Take a look at Census Support explore online data page for more details.
Qualitative data formats include MS Excel, MS Word and RTF.
Further information about the data formats we provide is available from Download and data formats FAQ.
Once you have registered with the UK Data Service you will have your own account which you can access by using the 'Login' link on each web page. Further information on the download process is available from our Download and order pages.
Data required for non-commercial purposes can be downloaded at no cost. If data are requested on portable media, e.g. CD, handling and postage and packing fees will apply. See Charges for further details.
Can I check the contents of a dataset before I obtain it?
Discover contains a full study description for each dataset and also provides access to online documentation and variable lists. Online documentation includes user guides that contain information on how to use the data, how the data were collected, and usually the original questionnaires or topic guides. Online variable lists provide the variable names and variable and value labels.
Nesstar provides details for all the variables within datasets available via the Nesstar system, displaying the full question text, frequency counts and other summary statistics.
Access to Discover and Nesstar does not require registration, however registration is required to conduct online data analysis or to download data.
Can I obtain data from other archives?
Support is available to help users locate and acquire data from other archives within Europe and worldwide. For example, we have reciprocal agreements with a network of social science data archives including the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan in the USA, and members of the Council of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA).
Data for several key international series can be found within Discover. Users can also search for data at individual archives via the clickable maps at International data archives. Additionally users are able to search via the CESSDA catalogue to locate data and variables within a selection of datasets stored at a number of European social science data archives.
UK users can request data located at other archives through their account - see Order data from a non-UK archive for details.
What is international macrodata?
Macrodata are data aggregated to a country or regional level. The international macro datasets in the UK Data Service contain socio-economic time series data for a range of countries over a substantial time period. Further details are available from International macrodata.
Is Secure access similar to the ONS Virtual Microdata Laboratory?
How is Secure access different to the VML?
What's the Secure Access User Agreement?
Can I or my University amend the User Agreement?
What's included in the Secure access training?
What if I've already attended the ONS Virtual Microdata Laboratory training?
Can I download data from the Secure access system?
What is Statistical Disclosure Control?
How do I apply for an output to be checked?
What outputs will be returned to me?
Can I discuss outputs with an Approved/Accredited researcher on the same project as me?
What if a co-researcher is not eligible to use Secure access?
What are the penalties for a breach of the terms of access for data?
We welcome applications from any researcher based at a UK academic institution, including some research centres. PhD/research students are also welcome to join. Civil servants should continue to use the Office for National Statistics Virtual Microdata Laboratory. Please Get in touch if you have any queries about whether you are eligible to join.
Access is subject to accreditation as an ONS-Approved or ESRC-Accredited Researcher for a specific research project; satisfactory completion of training; and agreement by the user and their institution to a User Agreement.
Academic researchers from other EU countries can apply to access our data through the Data without Boundaries (DwB) project. To learn more and apply, visit the DwB website.
Is the Secure access similar to the ONS Virtual Microdata Laboratory?
Yes, it's very similar to the VML. You log on to the service via your internet browser at your institution desktop (or Safe Room depending on the data you apply to use). Upon accessing the service, you'll see a familiar computing environment, with familiar statistical software, including Stata, SPSS and ArcGIS. You can use Microsoft Office to write papers and design your presentations.
How is Secure access different to the VML?
There are two important differences:
- You log on to Secure access at your institution, either from your office desktop PC, or from a secure room provided by your institution, depending on the nature of the data. You no longer need to travel to an ONS office to access the data.
- You produce all your work within the Secure access system. Because you can log in from your institution whenever you wish to, there is no two-tier system of intermediate and final outputs. Instead, all of your work, from initial data exploration to writing your final paper, is done in your user area on our system. We provide you with project folders that are shared with colleagues approved to work on the same project. When you are ready to publish we check your final outputs before releasing them to you.
We are working closely with the ONS to ensure that all economic and social data currently available in the VML will be available in the UK Data Service.
Is there a charge for Secure access?
Secure access is part of the UK Data Service and is funded by the ESRC. We do not currently charge UK HE/FE researchers for using the service.
What's the Secure Access User Agreement?
The Secure Access User Agreement outlines the terms and conditions of use of the service, is signed by the researcher and a suitable officer at their institution (for example from a contracts office) and is returned before or during training. The agreement includes a) liability for the researcher to complete the training; (b) information security responsibilities (not giving out password, not disclosing or compromising any Personal Information); c) penalties and breaches; d) output release policy; e) acknowledgements and copyright requirements.
The agreement demonstrates that the prospective researcher understands the seriousness of the undertaking, and that they and their institution understand the penalties that may be imposed for breaches of security or confidentiality.
Can I or my University amend the User Agreement?
No. Many Universities have agreed to sign the agreement as it stands. We cannot tailor the agreement for each specific University/request. It is an agreement that fulfills the requirements of numerous parties such as the ONS, ESRC and the University of Essex.
What's included in the Secure access training?
The half-day training course includes relevant legal and ethical responsibilities, required security procedures, guidance on Statistical Disclosure Control of outputs, penalties for breaches, as well as practical instruction on how to access and use the system.
Providing a personal training service is important to our security model. It is also a great opportunity for us to get to know researchers (our members). We can chat about your project and what you hope to achieve, answer your data queries and provide general advice about using the service.
What if I've already attended the ONS Virtual Microdata Laboratory training?
A personal training service is important to the security model of the VML and the UK Data Service Secure access. It is also a great opportunity for us to get to know our members, to answer your data queries and provide general advice about using the service.
Many VML researchers will have undertaken training some time ago, using our system is different to using the VML and the VML training is often tailored to those attending. It is therefore a requirement that all researchers attend our training course.
Can I download data from the Secure access system?
Given the potential sensitivity, confidentiality and disclosiveness of the data, it is not possible for you to download any data from the system but you can view and analyse the data on your local computer via remote access. You may not, however, copy down any analytical outputs from your screen, but you can share interim results with registered colleagues within the Secure access system. The service carries out Statistical Disclosure Control checks on outputs ready for publication before these can be released and sent to you by email.
What is Statistical Disclosure Control?
Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC) is the process of reviewing your work to ensure that your results (for example descriptive statistics and other analyses), cannot be used to identify an individual respondent.
There are a variety of statistical measures commonly used by researchers that we have to check. The SDC standards we adhere to have been agreed by other European countries, and can be found in the document Guidelines for the checking of output based on microdata research.
We undertake SDC of all outputs that researchers request from their Member Logon areas. We do the checks manually - this gives us the flexibility to consider each project individually. For this reason, as with our European colleagues, we do not feel that SDC software is appropriate to use for checking outputs created by our members.
We provide SDC training for our members, so you are aware of the SDC rules that we apply.
How do I apply for an output to be checked?
We have created an SDC folder inside your Member Logon project folder. When you have finished your document, please save a copy into this folder. You should then complete an Output Request Form (which you will find in your toolkit folder in your personal member logon area), and Get in touch or email securedata@data-archive.ac.uk to let us know.
What outputs will be returned to me?
Outputs can only be removed subject to Statistical Disclosure Control checks by service staff - once checked and deemed safe these are emailed to you.
In the UK Data Service, we group results generated by researchers into two broad categories:
- Intermediate Results
- Final Results
Final Results are those which are ready for publication. They may resemble a draft, working or finished paper, powerpoint presentation etc. The results will be written up within the context of the research (for example, introduction, methodology, aims etc). Apart from minor revisions, the researcher is satisfied that the results are those which they wish to have published/presented.
Intermediate Results are defined as those which are used for discussion with colleagues. They are therefore not ready for publication - following discussion, the researcher expects to continue their analysis/re-do their work.
It is the policy of the UK Data Service only to release Final Results. It is much quicker for us to release Final Results (understanding the methodology and background of the research makes checking for statistical disclosure control easier - we can return the results to you in a shorter amount of time). Please note that sections of work which do not require results (e.g. introduction, literature review, methodology) can be written outside the service and imported in.
Secure access Members working on the same project can easily share their intermediate findings through shared project folders. However, in some cases, we may release Intermediate Results - see What if a co-researcher is not eligible to use Secure access?
Can I discuss outputs with an Approved/Accredited researcher on the same project as me?
You may discuss outputs with an Approved/Accredited researcher on the same project but this must be done discretely and privately. It is absolutely forbidden to write anything down from the screen and outputs may only be shared in the project folder in your Secure access member logon area or in the form of 'final outputs' following Statistical Disclosure Control and release by a member of the UK Data Service Secure access team.
What if a co-researcher is not eligible to use Secure access?
- Results which have not been checked by UK Data Service staff and returned to you must not be shared or disclosed to anybody else. They should only be accessed by a colleague working on the same project, with access to the SDS (see Can I discuss outputs with an Approved/Accredited researcher on the same project as me?).
- You are not permitted to share any actual results with a non-approved researcher (even if you think they are not disclosive) such as a regression coefficient or a frequency count
- You may, however, discuss the overall research proposal and the results without disclosing any actual results.
- If you wish to show actual results to a colleague who is outside the UK or who is not eligible for a Secure access logon then you may ask us to release intermediate outputs provided that (i) the colleague has registered with the UK Data Service and agreed to its End User Licence and (ii) these outputs are equivalent as possible to 'finished goods/final outputs' e.g. a table in a Word document or a powerpoint presentation that includes sufficient surrounding text to allow us to understand and check the output.
What are the penalties for a breach of the terms of access for data?
A breach in the terms of access may result in:
- the immediate termination of the licence holder's access to the data and the termination of the licence. Depending upon the seriousness of the breach, the termination of access may be permanent;
- sanctions being sought against the licence holder by the data owner;
- for government data that fall under the Statistics Act 2007, penalties as specified in S39 of the Act - this may include a fine and/or imprisonment;
- individual or institutional suspension from all ESRC data services;
- individual or institutional sanction from ESRC funding.
Self-reported unintentional breaches will be penalised with discretion. Researchers who take full and prompt action to correct a self-reported and unintentional breach will not normally be penalised but may be asked to repeat training/induction.
Questions about downloading and data formats
What formats are the data available in?
What does the ZIP file contain?
Do you have a list of common file extensions?
Could you provide some advice on the availability of quantitative data formats?
Could you provide some advice on the availability of qualitative data formats?
Our Download and order pages provide details on how to download or order data.
When you download data via your account, you will actually download a 'ZIP' file containing your chosen study in the format selected.
If you get the message "Access Denied - Referral Block", this may be due to a particular type of firewall at your institution or on your computer. Try to download the data from another computer that does not have the same firewall installed, or temporarily deactivate the firewall after consulting your local computing support.
If Internet Explorer blocks a download with a 'no entry' sign and displays a notification in the Information Bar, click the Information Bar and select the option to allow the download. Alternatively, hold down the Control button on your keyboard when you try to download.
What formats are the data available in?
Most survey datasets are available to download in SPSS, Stata and tab-delimited (suitable for use in MS Excel) formats. Other UK Data Service systems, including Nesstar, provide other data formats, such as Statistica and Dbase.
Our International macrodata are available online via Beyond 20/20, UKDS.Stat or the IMF eLibrary. Data/tables can be downloaded in Beyond 20/20, MS Excel and comma-separated formats.
Data from the census are accessed via bespoke tools to produce extracts online which can then be read into a spreadsheet or mapping package using boundary data in a variety of formats. Take a look at Census Support explore online data page for more details.
Qualitative data formats include MS Excel, MS Word and RTF.
A ZIP file allows several files to be downloaded as one file. The files are compressed so that the ZIP file is smaller than the size of the uncompressed files, resulting in a faster download.
In the 'File Download' dialog box choose to Save this file. Do NOT choose to open the file as this will only create a temporary copy on your computer.
In the 'Save As' dialog box, choose the directory/folder where you want to save your data. Make a note of the file name and click 'Save'.
Note: if a dialog box does not appear you may need to change the security settings in your browser to Medium. In Internet Explorer, you can do this using Tools, Internet Options, Security. If this does not work, contact your local computer support.
If you are using Internet Explorer on a Macintosh Operating System (OS) and a dialog box does not appear, you should try using one of the following web browsers instead: OS9, Mozilla (version 5.1.7 or higher) or OS X - Safari (OS supplied browser).
Locate the directory/folder where you saved the ZIP file. Double click the filename to uncompress/open it using decompression software such as Winzip, Pkunzip or Stuffit Expander.
Extract the files to a directory/folder, opting to keep the folder names/directory structure.
What does the ZIP file contain?
The top level folder is usually named UKDA[study number]-[format] (e.g. UKDA4651-spss). In this top level folder there will usually be two folders, one containing the data and named according to the format (e.g. SPSS, Stata, tab, rtf), and one containing the documentation called 'mrdoc' (short for machine-readable documentation). Occasionally, there will also be a folder called 'code', which will contain command files that create derived variables or aid analysis in some way.
The 'mrdoc' folder contains a number of other folders containing the user guides supplied by the data depositor which are usually in PDF format; a file containing information on how to cite and acknowledge the data in publications; a shortened version of the catalogue record called UKDA_Study_[study number]_Information.htm but may also be called cite[study number].txt; and for studies processed after April 2004, a UK Data Archive data dictionary called [filename]_UKDA_Data_Dictionary.rtf
The following files may also be available:
- read[study number].txt (or .htm) files - these contain information about the UK Data Archive processing levels, useful information in addition to the user guides supplied by the data depositor and copies of any additional agreements on conditions of use
- [study number]_file_information.rtf - contains file names and a brief description of the files included in the downloaded zip file
Do you have a list of common file extensions?
Commonly occurring file extensions are:
- txt - plain text format can be opened using any text editor or word processing software such as MS Word
- rtf - rich text format can be opened using any word processing software
- pdf - portable document files can be opened using Adobe Acrobat Reader
- htm - html/web files can be opened using a web browser or MS Word
- sav - SPSS system files, requires SPSS to open
- dta - Stata files, requires Stata to open
- tab - tab delimited text files can be opened by spreadsheet software such as MS Excel
- por - SPSS portable files, requires SPSS to open
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed it can be downloaded from: Get Adobe Acrobat Reader
Could you provide some advice on the availability of quantitative data formats?
This is the most popular dissemination format. The files supplied by the UK Data Archive (the Archive) are SPSS system (.sav) format for newer studies (processed from October 2005 onwards) and may be in SPSS portable (.por) format for older studies. SPSS portable and system files open in all current versions of SPSS.
Studies processed after April 2004 are also supplied with a UK Data Archive Data Dictionary file, which is named [data file name]_UKDA_Data_Dictionary.rtf and should be more easily readable than SPSS data dictionaries or Stata codebooks. For an example, see UK Data Archive Data Dictionary.
This format is increasing in popularity, and is recommended for surveys that require weighting and other survey design effects to be incorporated into any analyses. Studies are made available in Stata 9 format, and, for studies processed before 2010, in Stata 8 or 6 format. If one or more data files have more than 2,047 variables (the limit for the 'intercooled' (IC) version of Stata), they are made available in Stata version 9 Special Edition (SE) format. Versions are indicated in the names of the zipped download bundle i.e. [study number]stata9 (version 9), [study number]stata9_se (version 9 special edition).
Stata data handling limits are generally slightly less generous than SPSS, so some loss or truncation of information, such as variable and value label loss, or truncation, and loss of user missing value definitions, is inevitable. The UK Data Archive has developed its own scripts to guarantee optimal translation of data between SPSS and Stata. For studies processed after April 2004, the file [Study Number]_SPSS_to_STATA_conversion.rtf is supplied with the data. This provides a log of any information that has been lost or truncated upon translation. For an example, see UK Data Archive SPSS to Stata Conversion Information File.
Users can then locate the full label and user missing value information in the UK Data Archive's data dictionary files, named [data file name]_UKDA_Data_Dictionary.rtf. For an example, see UK Data Archive Data Dictionary.
This is an entirely generic format that stores just the variable names and the rectangular matrix of data (there is no information on variable formats, label information or missing value definitions). The character set is normally ASCII but may be UNICODE.
It is recommended that data are ordered in tab-delimited format where this is the most effective means of reading the data into a specialist analysis package. When data are supplied in tab-delimited format, data dictionary or database structure information will also be provided. Depending on the application from which the tab-delimited data were created, these files will either be named: [data file name]_variableinformation.rtf or [data file name]_UKDA_Data_Dictionary.rtf
Although tab-delimited format is suitable for use in MS Excel, prior to Excel 2007 the maximum number of columns (variables) was 256 and the maximum number of rows (cases) was 65,536. Excel 2007 and more recent versions, support 16,384 columns (variables) and 1,048,576 rows (cases).
Due to limited demand, data are not routinely made available in SAS format by the UK Data Archive. However, the Archive will create SAS formats upon request. The standard method of delivery of SAS datasets is as SAS version 9 .sas7bdat files, with accompanying .sas formats library files. If other SAS file types are required, these should be specified in the initial request.
An open source statistical package, R is gaining in popularity as it offers advanced functionality not present in SPSS or in some instances, even Stata. Due to limited demand, data are not routinely made available in R format by the UK Data Archive. However, depending on the version of SPSS, Stata and R used, R will read both SPSS and Stat formats (using the 'read.spss' and 'read.dta' commands).
Occasionally, datasets are not suitable for SPSS or Stata. This occurs when, for example, unstructured or semi-structured interviews record literal textual responses of greater than 255 characters. While packages such as MS Excel and MS Access can store these long strings, statistical packages (like SPSS, prior to version 13, and Stata) cannot. In these cases, the data are made available in format(s) that do not truncate these long strings. This will typically be a choice of a proprietary format (e.g. MS Excel or MS Access) and tab-delimited text. MS Access 'data documenter' information is provided, where possible, for each table when data are extracted from an MS Access database.
Could you provide some advice on the availability of qualitative data formats?
Rich text format (RTF) is used for the majority of qualitative studies. Rich text format files will open into most text editors and almost all word processing packages.
Portable document format (.pdf)
Adobe PDF format is used when original data were only available to the UK Data Service as hard copy (paper). In such instances the hard copy material is usually scanned into image files (400 dbi TIFFs) and then converted into PDF format.
Where qualitative data have been coded and analysed using Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS), these files may also be supplied, in addition to the 'raw' transcripts in rich text format.
Can I obtain guides to using the data and questionnaires?
Can I use the data to identify individuals, households or organisations?
Can I use your data to trace my ancestors?
What is the most detailed geographical level I can analyse the data at?
What are missing values in survey and census data?
Are there any restrictions on the use of the data?
Can I use data I already hold for a new purpose?
Can my colleague use the data I have for the same purpose (project) as me?
Can I use the data in teaching?
Can I find out who is using the data?
Use Help to find information for new users, details of our frequently asked questions and information on how to get in touch with us.
Can I obtain guides to using the data and questionnaires?
User Guides that accompany our data collections contain information on how to use the data, how the data were collected, usually the original questionnaires, and occasionally frequency counts. These are freely available via the data collection records within Discover and, where available, are supplied with orders/downloads.
Can I use your data to identify individuals, households or organisations?
Unless respondents have given their permission, or data are in the public domain, then data are anonymised. When registering, our users agree to preserve at all times, the confidentiality of information pertaining to individuals and/or households in the data collections (where the information is not in the public domain).
They also agree not to use the data to attempt to obtain or derive information relating specifically to an identifiable individual or household, nor to claim to have obtained or derived such information. In addition, they must also preserve the confidentiality of information about, or supplied by, organisations recorded in the data collections.
Can I use your data to trace my ancestors?
Some historical datasets that are in the public domain, and listed in Discover, may be of interest to family historians/genealogists. The Links for Family Historians provides a list of websites that provide data which may be of use to you.
What is the most detailed geographical level I can analyse the data at?
Most survey datasets contain one or more geographical variables e.g. place of residence, place of work. In many data collections the most detailed geographical variable available is Government Office Region (GOR) which allows researchers to identify broad regions, for example 'South East', 'North West'. See Government Office Regions on the Office for National Statistics website for more information.
Most survey participants are informed that their responses will only be passed on to researchers under certain conditions, and that the data will be fully anonymised. Adding more detailed geographical variables to the data, although still anonymised, can increase the risk of data disclosure.
However, it is recognised that some researchers need access to more detailed data. To facilitate this and to increase the range of data available for statistical research, a number of more detailed, yet anonymised data collections are available. Since these data pose a higher risk of disclosure, they have additional special conditions attached to them that take the form of a Special Licence. Data Collections with the highest level of detail may only be available through our Secure access route.
To find out which geographical variables are available in a particular dataset, users should consult the relevant Discover record, particularly the 'Spatial units' information. It is also possible to filter the records by Spatial unit using the relevant facet.
The documentation (freely downloadable via the Discover record) also provides useful information about the data collection, and the Beginner's Guide to Geography available from the Office for National Statistics provides a useful guide to UK geography.
What are missing values in survey and census data?
In data with individual cases (for example survey microdata) you may find unusual values where there is no valid value. Values like -9 or 99 might mean
- that the question does not apply (DNA). For example under 16 year olds might not be asked about their marital status, so they should normally be excluded from the analysis of this question
- that the question applies but the respondent did not answer. Care should be taken where there is a high number in this group as it might indicate a problem with the quality of the data
The way in which these should be handled will vary depending on your research question and the population to whom you want your analysis to apply. It is wise to check the documentation to make sure you understand to which groups variables apply and that you understand how missing values have been coded. It is also good practice to tabulate each variable you are interested in using to check that you do not have a high proportion of missing values.
Many sample survey datasets contain weights. These weights have been calculated by the data creator in order to correct for problems in the representativeness of the data. These problems might have been the result of a feature of the sample design (e.g. only interviewing a maximum of two children per household) or might arise because non-respondents have different characteristics compared with those who responded (e.g. people in urban settings might be harder to interview than in other areas). Either way, these problems can bias results. By using weights, these biases can be reduced or overcome. Government surveys in particular may also weight data so that when weights are applied population estimates are produced. For more information, consult the documentation for your study and our guide to weighting.
The UK Data Service and UK Data Archive are not able to supply copies of the official publications associated with the data we hold, other than the User Guides that accompany each data collection. However, references to publications and journal articles produced by data creators as well as those produced by secondary analysts are available in the 'Publications' section of the Discover record for each dataset.
The survey datasets we supply are usually computer-readable data files that require specialist software, such as SPSS or Stata, to analyse.
A number of datasets are available to registered users to analyse and subset online. Further details are available from Explore online.
Are there any restrictions on the use of the data?
Restrictions on the use of the data are outlined in the End User Licence (EUL) that all users agree to when registering. Users should not attempt to use the data to deliberately compromise the confidentiality of individuals, households or organisations and are required to abide by the current Data Protection Act. The EUL also covers requirements for citation of publications and safeguarding of data. A summary of the EUL is also available.
The sharing of data with other researchers or students and the re-use of data for a new purpose is restricted by the terms and conditions outlined in the EUL.
Certain datasets/uses may also require depositor permission and details are available in the 'Access' section of each Discover record.
Can I use data I already hold for a new purpose?
Yes you can, but you will need to register the new use within your account by creating a new usage/project. You should then add the datasets required to this new usage, and accept any special conditions related to the selected datasets. Users of International macrodata can use the downloaded data for any purpose that falls within the terms and conditions of that database without the requirement to register a use of the data.
Can my colleague use the data I have for the same purpose (project) as me?
Yes, but your colleague must first be registered with the UK Data Service. You should then log in to your account and add them to the relevant usage/project. You will need to know their email address to do this.
Your colleague must then log in to their account, select the relevant usage/project and accept any special conditions related to the selected datasets.
There is no requirement for users of International macrodata to register a use of data, but all users must access the data using their own username and password and agree to any additional terms and conditions of use.
Can I use the data in teaching?
Most data in the collection can be used successfully in teaching situations and students can be licenced individually or, in a class situation, using a simplified process. We have web pages dedicated to teaching and learning and have produced cut-down teaching datasets to facilitate this.
The Harmonisation programme is an Office for National Statistics project which seeks to standardise questions and ouptuts, so that measures are collected and reported consistently to improve the comparability of different sources. There are primary and secondary harmonised standards, the former being more widely applied than the latter. Interested users should refer to the ONS harmonisation programme pages.
Can I find out who is using the data?
You can view monthly usage statistics for international macrodata accessed via Beyond 20/20. The figures show the number of data access sessions broken down by database (e.g. IMF Direction of Trade Statistics) and HE/FE institution. These data are useful for social science data librarians interested in monitoring usage of data collections within their areas.
How do I acknowledge and cite data?
The creation of a dataset which is properly documented and usable by other researchers deserves equivalent recognition and acknowledgement to a printed work of scholarship. Citation identifies sources for validation and further research by different researchers. Failure to cite datasets means that valuable data sources will not be indexed by bibliographical services such as social science citation indexes, and, more importantly, other researchers who would like to analyse these data may not have sufficient information to acquire them.
How do I acknowledge and cite data?
Any publication, whether printed, electronic or broadcast, based wholly or in part on the data collections provided by the UK Data Service must be accompanied by the correct citation and acknowledgement information.
Details of the citation and acknowledgement that should be used are set out in the 'Study information and citation' file, available for every dataset from the online documentation table via the relevant Discover record.
A citation should include enough information so that the exact version of the data being cited can be located, but does not include information on the sponsor or copyright. A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is included in the citation. This ensures that even if the location of the data changes, the DOI will always link to the data that was used.
An acknowledgement is a general statement giving credit to the source and distributor and includes copyright information. It can be given at the start of, or within, the text, or at the end of the article before the bibliographic references/citations. The information that should be included (e.g. depositor, sponsor) can also be found in the 'Study information and citation' file.
Further information, including examples, is available from Citing data and details on how to use DOIs can be found at: DOI project news.
Information on how to cite census data is available from Census Support citing data.
Some journal ask authors to make available the data used for a publication. How do I comply with this?
Some journals require authors to submit data alongside a publication so that the published results can be replicated by others. Data obtained from the UK Data Service/UK Data Archive, including subsets and derived data, cannot be submitted to journals alongside publications as this would be a breach of the End User Licence (EUL) that users agree to when registering. However, in most cases it should be sufficient for the author of the publication to supply the journal with information about how an individual can register and access the data used via the UK Data Service.
For derived data the author can:
- supply the syntax used to the journal
- offer the derived data to the UK Data Archive/UK Data Service - it is a requirement of the EUL that any derived data be offered for deposit - see Deposit data
Questions about managing data and preparing them for sharing
Consult the UK Data Archive's extensive FAQ on creating and managing data.
Questions about depositing data
Why should I share my research data?
What are the benefits of depositing data?
Will my archived data be in the public domain?
Will data be peer-reviewed as a quality assurance?
Do you have information on the purpose of archiving so I can explain it to research participants?
Are there research data which cannot be shared?
Should we keep a copy of our data after you have archived them?
My research was carried out abroad and my data are not in English. Can you archive them?
Data I collected are summary notes of focus group discussions. Are these worth archiving?
How do I prepare my data for sharing?
Are there guidelines on creating, preparing and managing my data for sharing?
Can you tell me more about your self-archiving repository, ESRC Data Store?
In the context of data archives, data means digital data. Data can consist of different types of qualitative or quantitative materials, for example: numeric data files; survey databases; administrative data; interview transcripts; diaries; field notes; audio recordings; photographs. A data collection can result from primary data collection or can be derived from existing sources of data. Also see About our data.
A variety of sources deposit their data, including academic researchers, government departments, intergovernmental organisations, independent research institutes, and market research organisations.
Academic research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is an important source of data, as the council operates a mandatory Datasets Policy; all award holders are expected to offer data for archiving. Examples of large-scale ESRC datasets are the British Social Attitudes Survey, the British Election Studies, the British Household Panel Study and Understanding Society. There is also a large selection of qualitative research data and numerous smaller data collections resulting from academic research projects.
Censuses and large surveys carried out by governments for their own policy purposes are particularly rich sources of data for further exploration. Central government, and in particular, the Office for National Statistics is a major and regular supplier of data series, including the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF), the Labour Force Survey (LFS), and the Health Survey for England (HSE). Some datasets may not have been collected specifically for research purposes. Administrative databases, such as the National Health Service Patient Re-registrations, although collected for a very different purpose, can provide valuable and timely information for researchers.
We are keen to acquire more data from government departments and commercial organisations. If you have data to offer, please contact collections@ukdataservice.ac.uk.
Why should I share my research data?
The value of any data lies in their use and re-use. In addition, publicly funded research data are produced in the public interest and therefore may need to be shared more widely. When data are managed well they can be shared and re-used for scientific and educational purposes. Researchers, funding agencies and the public benefit from data sharing.
Sharing data:
- adds value to public investment
- facilitates diverse analyses often beyond the scope of the initial research
- encourages scientific inquiry
- avoids replicating data collection
- supports research into data collection methods
- provides resources for education and training
- facilitates the creation of new data through combination of existing datasets
What are the benefits of depositing data?
Data archiving has great benefits for data owners, data users and researchers. We ensure the long term safe-keeping of data and maintain control on your behalf. We can inform you of applications for use and maintain registers of users and usage. The ability to demonstrate continued usage of the data after the original research is completed can influence funders to provide further research funding.
The use of your data by other researchers may lead to collaborations with you and to co-authorship of publications based on re-use of the data. Depositing data allows you to avoid the administrative tasks associated with external users and their queries. At the same time we can foster a fruitful dialogue between you and secondary researchers by running user groups and data-use workshops while shielding you from the more tedious aspects of dissemination.
It is also an essential part of the scholarly research process to be able to identify information sources. Bibliographic control of books, papers, journals and other printed sources is taken for granted. They are identifiable in library and publishers' catalogues and, when used as source material in scholarly publications, are fully referenced. The depositing of data enables datasets to be as fully identifiable and easy to find as printed materials by ensuring that:
- datasets are fully documented with all bibliographical details (title, date, author)
- datasets are fully catalogued in a data catalogue
- datasets are assigned a Digital Object Identifier, a globally unique string of letters and numbers that identifies the exact data cited
- users of the data are aware of the need to acknowledge the data sources in publications, through proper citation
Scientific excellence is measured through publications. Why should I archive research data rather than publish results?
The archiving of research data by no means replaces scientific publications. Archiving data resulting from a research project provides an additional output besides many other research outputs. Archived data can complement publications and provide the baseline data used for publications. Some datasets can be significant in their own right and may qualify as part of a researcher's research portfolio.
Will my data be in the public domain?
Our service provides a spectrum of data access options; data are classified according to their level of detail, sensitivity and confidentiality and appropriate data handling and access safeguards put in place. The data are generally available for not-for-profit research and teaching purposes. Access to data requires user authentication using federated access management. Users are required to agree to an End User Licence that specifies the terms of use of data. Also see How we keep your data secure.
Most potential users will be within the higher education and further education research communities though data may also be used by researchers from other sectors such as central and local government. Data are also frequently used for teaching purposes to study research methodologies and how researchers approach studying certain topics. See Data in use for examples of how data in our collection are used.
If you are an ESRC award-holder, we will accept your data into our ESRC Data Store. Otherwise, our Data Appraisal Group will review your data according to our Collections Development Policy to determine whether they are suitable for inclusion in our collection. See How to deposit data.
Will data be peer-reviewed as a quality assurance?
No. The data creator has the responsibility to ensure high quality of data, both at the stage of data collection and at the stage of data entry or transcription. We will carry out certain quality reviews of data during processing to ensure that variables and values are accurate according to the documentation supplied and are well labelled; to check for missing or erroneous values; to check that confidentiality is not breached; etc.
Do you have information on the purpose of archiving so I can explain it to research participants?
Easy-to-understand information that can be given to participants about what archiving their data means can be found at Consent and ethics.
Are there research data which cannot be shared?
Personal or sensitive data may not be suitable for sharing with other researchers, depending on the informed consent that has been obtained from participants.
Data which include multiple copyright layers or rights owners cannot be shared unless permission for data sharing has been given by all copyright/rights holders. Depositors must ensure all rights have been cleared and provide information to confirm that any legal and ethical issues have been resolved. This enables us to legitimately preserve and make the data available for analysis.
If there is any doubt about rights ownership, please consult your institutional legal team and refer to our information on Copyright.
Should we keep a copy of our data after you have archived them?
Once we have archived the data, you can access those data at all times. We will safeguard and preserve the data in the long term, so they remain accessible. You may keep a copy of your data at your own discretion.
I have an ESRC grant and have been asked to complete questions about archiving my data. Can you help?
The ESRC is keen to ensure that grant applications do not propose collecting data in areas of research where existing data may already exist. ESRC also expects award holders to share their data at the end of their award, so they can be made available to other researchers. For help with answering questions on data collection and data sharing on the ESRC application form, see Support for ESRC researchers.
My research was carried out abroad and my data are not in English. Can you archive them?
We do not exclusively archive English language data but we would need sufficient information to be able to review your data against the criteria in our Collections Development Policy to determine if they are suitable for inclusion in our collection. However we cannot guarantee to verify and quality control these data to the same standards as English language data. The accompanying documentation would make this clear to users. The data should be accompanied by an English summary and English documentation and metadata explaining the material.
Data I collected are summary notes of focus group discussions. Are these worth archiving?
We are less likely to accept summary data because of their more limited re-use potential. However, if you are funded by the ESRC then you should upload them to the ESRC Data Store.
My data are audio-visual recordings of interviews and focus groups and a collection of artefacts. Can you archive them?
We judge each data offer on a case-by-case basis. Whilst it is preferable for research purposes that interviews and focus group discussions are transcribed (as it makes re-use of such data much easier), at times audio-visual materials are archived too. We can offer advice on digitising paper-based artefacts, such as photos, postcards, and family trees. If the data are ESRC-funded you can use the ESRC Data Store. Otherwise, we will assess your data against our Collections Development Policy criteria.
How do I prepare my data for sharing?
Data should be prepared so that they can be easily understood and used by other researchers. Data should be clearly labelled and documented; research procedures, fieldwork methods and the context of the research should be explained and all variables, codes and fields should be self-explanatory. Documentation may include user guides, questionnaires, technical reports, publications, working papers and lab books. See Prepare research data for sharing.
Attention may need to be given to the possible confidentiality of data. Informed consent may need to be obtained for data to be shared with the wider research community and data may need to be anonymised.
Are there guidelines on creating, preparing and managing my data for sharing?
Detailed information is available from Manage data including consent and ethics, copyright, documenting your data, formatting your data, and storing your data.
Can you tell me more about your self-archiving repository, ESRC Data Store?
The focus of ESRC Data Store is the storage and sharing of primary research data from ESRC award holders.
All forms of digital data can be deposited in and accessed via ESRC Data Store, including statistical data, databases, word documents and audio-visual materials. Contributors are required to register in order to contribute and upload materials and can assign permissions to individuals and/or groups to enable access to their materials. Only researchers holding an ESRC grant can contribute research data to ESRC Data Store.
ESRC Data Store uses a state-of-the-art Open Source repository system based on FEDORA. We check all uploaded data to ensure they are virus free, readable and free from rights and disclosure problems.
See ESRC award holders for information on how to upload to the ESRC Data Store.
Questions about depositing data to the ESRC Data Store
How do I register with the ESRC Data Store?
Why can't I add a new project?
How do I find my ESRC award number?
How did you get my research award information?
Can a colleague upload data files for me?
How do I edit the metadata record for my project?
How should I prepare my data for archiving?
What does 'material type' mean when I am uploading materials?
What happens if I only have documentation but no data?
Why does my project data need to be reviewed?
How do I publish my project data in ESRC Data Store?
How do I manage my data in ESRC Data Store?
Who is the 'Principal Contributor'?
How do I allow others to add to my project?
How do I register with ESRC Data Store?
First time users must register using federated access management user authentication. Use your UK HE/FE institutional login credentials (institutional username and password), after selecting your institution from the drop-down list.
If you do not have a UK HE/FE institutional username/password, apply for a UK Data Archive username and password. Use those to log in to the ESRC Data Store using federated access management user authentication, selecting the UK Data Archive as institution.
After Login you can register with the ESRC Data Store. You will need to enter details in your profile including your first name, surname and email address. You are also asked for a username. Use your institutional username, or create a different one. This username is only used by the ESRC Data Store to identify you.
Why can't I add a new project?
All new projects must be added initially by the Principal Contributor (ESRC award holder). To add a new project you must enter your ESRC award number.
ESRC Data Store will then retrieve award details from the ESRC Research catalogue, verifying the ESRC award number against the award holder surname. This will prefill the the ESRC Data Store metadata form for your project.
The Principal Contributor (ESRC award holder) can then give permission to other registered users to assist in uploading data or adding publications.
How do I find my ESRC award number?
Your ESRC award number can be found by searching in the ESRC Research catalogue. Make sure you enter the award number exactly (including spaces and hyphens). Your surname and award number are used to verify that you are the research award holder.
How did you get my research award information?
Information about your research project is harvested by ESRC Data Store from the ESRC Research catalogue, using the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) protocol.
Can a colleague upload data files for me?
Yes, after the ESRC award holder (Principal Contributor) has created a new project record, access permission to this project can be given to other registered ESRC Data Store users in the 'Manage Users' section. Contributors can be assigned to a project by selecting the user from the ESRC Data Store user list, where registered users are listed in alphabetic order of username. Contributors can assist in adding metadata and uploading data, documentation or publications.
How do I edit the metadata record for my project?
ESRC project details will already have been partially pre-filled for you from the ESRC Research catalogue. Additional project details can be completed through the 'Edit Metadata' tab. Some fields are mandatory and are indicated by *. Context-specific help information will appear on the right-hand side when selecting a specific metadata field. Make sure you 'Save' changes you make.
How should I prepare my data for deposit in the ESRC Data Store?
All data and accompanying documentation should be prepared following our guidance of preparing data for sharing.
Particular attention should be paid to:
- whether data may need to be anonymised
- whether you have permission to share research data - this may depend on consent and confidentiality agreements
- whether copyright permission needs to be sought with regard to data ownership
- ensuring that data files are well documented and described so that users can understand and interpret them
- once your metadata record is completed and submitted and no yellow boxes remain, you can start to upload data and documentation files
- browse your hard drive, CD or removable drive for a file or enter a URL
- select the material type - if you have a zip with many data or documentation types we recommend that you upload materials of the same type in each zip e.g. data in one zip (classified as data) and all documentation in one zip (classified as documentation).
- enter the name of the copyright holder
- check the box to certify that you have the right to distribute the data
What does 'material type' mean when I am uploading materials?
This enables you to classify (label) the file you are uploading as either data or documentation and whether or not it is a sample or the final version - we recommend you upload materials of the same type in each zip e.g, data in one zip (classified as data) and all doc in one zip (classified as documentation)
What happens if I only have documentation but no data?
We encourage the deposit of study materials such as fieldwork method instruments even if the data cannot be made available - documentation should be chosen as the material type when uploading these files.
Why does my project data need to be reviewed?
Your data will be briefly reviewed by our staff before we publish them, to make sure that they are not disclosive, nor unusable and well documented for future uses.
How do I publish my project data in ESRC Data Store?
In 'Review Status' check both boxes 'Confirm materials are ready for review' and 'Confirm materials are ready for publication' then click on 'Submit'. Your data will then be checked by our staff before they are published.
How do I manage my data in the ESRC Data Store?
You can review the status of your project and any data, documentation or publications under 'Review Outputs'. All of your projects are also listed under 'Review Status'.
Any new files you upload will need to be submitted via the system for review by us before they are published.
Who is the 'Principal Contributor'?
This is the principal ESRC award holder. The Principal Contributor can upload data, documentation or publications to a project, or delete them from a project. The Principal Contributor can also give permission to others to contribute data or add publications.
How do I allow others to add to my project?
Registered users can be given access to a project by the Principal Contributor within the 'Manage Users' section. Contributors or publishers can be assigned to a project by selecting the user from the ESRC Data Store user list, where registered users are listed in alphabetic order of username. Contributors can assist in uploading any materials onto a project. Publishers can upload publications to a project, including publications resulting from data reuse.
To manage access you must choose a user from the list in 'Manage Users' and decide on the level of access required.
A contributor is someone who has been granted contributing rights by the Principal Contributor via the email request form. If given permission, a contributor will be able to add data, documentation or publications relating to an existing data deposit in the ESRC Data Store. An example would be a co-investigator or research officer on a project.
A publisher is someone who has been granted publishing rights by the principal contributor via the email request form. If given permission, a publisher will be able to add a publication relating to a data deposit in the ESRC Data Store. Publishers can add, or remove, their own publications to, or from, a research project. Only contributors can upload data, documentation or publications to a project.
Metadata records in the system are accessible to all users; data are open to all registered users, unless an embargo has been placed on data for a fixed period.
For users previously registered with the former Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS).
Will all the same data continue to be available?
Is there now a charge for data?
I am an ESRC grant holder. Are there any changes to how I deposit data at the end of my grant?
Can our institution continue to use WAYFless URLs?
It is now integrated into the UK Data Service, along with the former Secure Data Service, Survey Question Bank and elements of the ESRC Census Programme. Portions of the ESDS website will remain during the transition, but content there will not be maintained and could be out of date.
Will all the same data continue to be available?
Yes, and more. The UK Data Service will be continually enhancing its data collections over time. Major studies are now called Key data; there you can find details on the major collection available by data type. Discover is the new Data Catalogue; you can search and browse all data and resources in the collection there.
Is there now a charge for data?
In most cases, no. Continued ESRC funding ensures that all materials on the UK Data Service website are available to search and browse free of charge, including data documentation and support guides. Data required for non-commercial purposes can be downloaded at no cost. There is also no fee to register.
There is a charge for commercial use of data, and in certain other instances. See Charges for full details. If charges are applicable, you will be notified during the ordering process.
No. If you are currently a registered user of ESDS, the Census Programme or Secure Data Service your registration will continue, subject to the usual annual reconfirmation. When it's time to renew, your renewal information will reflect the change to the UK Data Service.
I am an ESRC grant holder. Are there any changes to how I deposit data at the end of my grant?
At present, there is no change to the requirements of ESRC grant holders to submit data to the UK Data Service as described in the ESRC Research Data Policy. There is detailed information about how to deposit your data in the Support for ESRC researchers section.
Can our institution continue to use WAYFless URLs?
Yes, but they must ensure they are using the correct WAYFless URL format.
The UK Access Management Federation login page is known as the 'Where Are You From (WAYF)' page. Some institutions using the UK Access Management Federation have previously bypassed both the ESDS.ac.uk and Census.ac.uk login pages and the WAYF page. They can continue to do this; instructions for formatting the URL are in the Federated Access Management section of the FAQ for Login and registration.