In an effort to facilitate the process of downloading and analyzing our data, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions sent to us through NSFHHELP. Please look over the FAQ list before contacting NSFHHELP for assistance.

I'm using NSFH2 data and can't find data on the respondent's race.
        This information was collected at wave 1 (variable M484). Merge your data with this variable by joining casids.

What variable is used to merge data from NSFH1 with data from NSFH2?

The ID variable in columns 1-5 of each data file.

The ID variable in columns 1-5 of each data file. Column 6 of these files indicates which respondent.

A copy of NSFH's policy on the release of geographical variables is available via e-mail. A mandatory confidentiality agreement must be signed and returned to NSFH before this information can be released to the user.

The codebook files (c1*.* for wave 1 and c*.* for wave 2) contain the frequencies for the various categories or ranges of categories for each variable.

To find the relationship variable for the person indicated by a person number, look in the household roster and identify the relationship variable for the person with the same person number as given in the initial answer.

The survey instrument for NSFH2 is contained in the files beginning with "im" in the anonymous ftp directory, and the survey instruments for NSFH1 are in the files beginning with "il".

R2SEX is the best measure for sex of the spouse/partner. There are several errors in this variable which will be corrected in the near future. There should be no same sex spouses/partners in the NSFH data.

We have recognized errors in the respondent's age in NSFH1. The NSFH2 age data is more reliable.

Skipmaps are now available for downloading from the NSFH public access directory. Look for the "t*.pdf" files.

The wave one citation is "The Design and Content of The National Survey of Families and Households." (NSFH Working Paper #1) James Sweet, Larry Bumpass, and Vaughn Call 1988.  The NSFH2 citation is James A. Sweet and Larry L. Bumpass, The National Survey of Families and Households - Waves 1 and 2: Data Description and Documentation. Center for Demography and Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison (http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/nsfh/home.htm), 1996

The interview date variables are in MR33, MR34 and MR35, columns 5255-5260.

Yes, these variables are available. The file, sudaan.dat contains Stratum, PSU and LA informaton for each of the NSFH respondents. sudaan.doc contains format information for sudaan.dat. Please send e-mail to NSFHHELP (nsfhhelp@ssc.wisc.edu) if you have questions concerning these files.

Here's a quick-step method for downloading files via our web site.

1. From the data availability page (http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/nsfh/avail.htm), click on link to ftp elaine.ssc.wisc.edu (about half-way down the page).

2. Download the README., NS1SUM.ASC, NS2SUM.ASC, and NSFHFILE.LIS files and read through them. They will help you determine which files you need.

3. Once you have read those introductory files, return to the ftp site (ftp://elaine.ssc.wisc.edu/pub/nsfh) and click on the file you need in the directory list.

The following is an SPSS printout of the NSFH2 final weight variables:

data list file=a record=1
/1       ID                     &nbsp1-5 (A)

MUFINW93 1870-1877 (A)
MUFIND93 1992-1997 (A)
Print records=1
/' ID ' MUFINW93 ' MUFINW93 ' MUFIND93 ' MUFIND 93
EXECUTE

05040     MUFINW93 .5225300     MUFIND93 52253
09912     MUFINW93 1.122330     MUFIND93 112233
11969     MUFINW93 .6263900     MUFIND93 62639

Reading MUFINW93 and MUFIND93:

file handle a/name='PROJDISK19:[215067.DATA]DRCONST.003'
data list file=a record=1

/1       ID                       1-5 (A)

MUFINW93 1870-1877 (8)
MUFIND93 1992-1997 (5)
SELECT IF((ID EQ '05040') OR (ID EQ '09912') OR (ID EQ '11969')
OR (ID EQ '13965') OR (ID EQ '18566') OR (ID EQ '21595'))

LIST VARIABLES = MUFINW93,MUFIND93

MUFINW93 MUFIND93

.52253000     .52253
1.1223300     1.12233
.62639000     .62639
.45753000     .45753
.53487000     .53487
1.0923700     1.09237

Frequencies variables=mufinw93/format=condense

Additional questions? Please refer to the README. file, located on our ftp site.






NSFH Home Page Wave 1 Content Wave 2 Content Wave 3 Content

For more information please contact: National Survey of Families and Households Center for Demography University of Wisconsin 1180 Observatory Drive, Rm 4412 Madison, WI 53706-1393 Phone: (608) 262-1537 Fax: (608) 262-8400 Email: NSFHHELP@SSC.WISC.EDU

NSFHHELP FAQ Data Availability NSFH Working Paper List Bibliography



Last modified on June 13th, 2002