Medium:

RCF

Contents and Scope:

There is a description file in the RCF subdirectory for this study which you can access for more information:

more  ~datastor/icpsr/8709/sdes8709

To access the same file on the datastor Web page, go to:

www-rcf.usc.edu/~datastor/icpsr/8709/

then click the link for "sdes8709"

Format:

raw (ascii) data

Access Instructions:

• To see list of files:
  • ls ~datastor/icpsr/8709
• To download a file from the Web to your UNIX directory, to /tmp or to a PC or Mac:
  • visit www-rcf.usc.edu/~datastor/icpsr/8709/
  • there you will see links to the files that you can download
  • remember that many of these files are very large

Documentation/Code Book:

The directory for this study may contain one or more of the following types of files (among others):

daXXXX (where 'da' means 'Data')
sdesXXXX (where 'sdes' means 'Study Description')
cbXXXX (where 'cb' means 'code-book')
ddXXXX (where 'dd' means 'data definition')
quXXXX (where 'qu' means 'Questionnaires')
spXXXX (where 'sp' means 'SPSS program')
saXXXX (where 'sa' means 'SAS program')

'XXXX' in these examples stands for the 4-digit study number. Any of these files which exist in the listing can be viewed on the RCF or downloaded from the ITS datastor Web page. Once downloaded, sdes, cb, and dd files can be used as guides to the data.

NOTE that some studies may have different naming schemes than described above, but will still have data and (usually) Code Book files in their directories. In such cases, look for "readme" or other explanatory files that might be helpful. If no description or code-book files exist in the directory for this study, users must contact ICPSR in Michigan (see below) for further information.

Compressed files. Note that many ICPSR files are compressed, usually by means of the gzip method, though not all have the usual .gz extension. If a downloaded file seems to contain "garbage" you might assume that it is compressed, and follow these steps to uncompress the file. (The example assumes a file called xx0000.a as the downloaded "garbage" file.)

1. cp xx0000.a xx0000-a.gz
2. gunzip xx0000-a.gz

You will then have the files xx0000.a and xx0000-a. Once you verify that the gunzipped file (xx0000-a) is usable (i.e., has been uncompressed successfully), you can then delete the original file (xx0000.a) and proceed.

NOTE that some files originally compressed at the ICPSR site, and noted in ICPSR descriptions as compressed, may have been uncompressed prior to being stored here at USC, in which case you can usually use the files immediately without further processing.

Owner/Coordinator:

Information Technology Services, Customer Support Center

LVL Lower Commons, 213.740.5555

NOTE: Most of the data maintained by Information Technology Services (ITS) were obtained from other groups at USC, not from the original data providers or researchers. Every attempt to preserve the integrity of the data sets has been made; however, it is the responsibility of any user of a data set to verify its accuracy and completeness.

Other Sources of Information: