IPUMS News, August 1999

Contents of this page

New Web design

1920 PUMS release

Last print edition of the IPUMS documentation

Access to multi-state extracts on 5% samples

Extract system enhancements

IPUMS-International

New contemporary U.S. data

International Microdata Access Group (IMAG)

New Web design

Early this summer, the IPUMS installed a completely redesigned web page which we hope is more readable and user-friendly than our original. Although we tested the new design extensively, there were thousands of pages to change so it’s likely we missed a few.  You can help us by taking a careful look at the new site (www.ipums.umn.edu) and letting us know if you find any pages that don’t work.

1920 PUMS release 

Preliminary release of the complete 1% sample for the 1920 census is scheduled for August 30, 1999.  Release of the final sample is expected by November 1999. 

Last print edition of the IPUMS documentation 

If you prefer working with a print version of documentation, you have one last chance to order a set.   In early September, we will be shipping the final volumes 3-5 to those who have already ordered them.  We will accept new orders until OCtober 15th.  If you would like print copies and haven’t already submitted your order, the price is $75 per volume or $300 for the complete set:

Volume 1:	User’s Guide
Volume 2:	User’s Guide Supplement
Volume 3:	Counting the Past
Volumes 4-5:	Data Translation

The table of contents for each volume is available from the "User’s Guide" button on the IPUMS web homepage.  All subsequent editions of the IPUMS documentation will be available on the web for free or on CDRom at a modest cost.  Email your print or CDRom orders to ipums@pop.umn.edu.

Access to multi-state extracts on 5% samples  

If your research requires running extract requests against the 5% samples – and you’re tired of running 50 separate extracts – you can now get special user access which will allow you to run multi-state, 5% sample extracts.  Simply email the IPUMS User Support staff (ipums@pop.umn.edu) with a one-sentence description of your research project and they will change your access. 

NOTE: Extracts get large quickly when drawn from the 5% samples.  You must keep your data file to under 600 mb -- either by limiting variables or selecting cases -- since  the extract system will not write a file larger than that.  When it hits the 600 mb limit, it finishes writing the case it is on and then simply stops with no warning and no indication of how many cases were left unwritten. We are working on an extract system feature that will estimate the size of the data file before you submit the extract request.  Until this feature is ready, researchers are advised to do a test on the 1% files and then eliminate variables or cases if this test extract is larger than 120 mb.

Extract system enhancements 

A new version of the extract system will be installed this fall which incorporates two features users have requested:

• Save and retrieve:  Users will have the option of retrieving and modifying the selection criteria from a previous extract request or starting a completely new one.
• SAS/Stata Command files:  Users will be able to choose among three different command files rather than being limited to SPSS.

SPSS users—The files to create rectangular files from complete hierarchical files will be available from the download entire samples page.

IPUMS-International 

The Historical Census Project has been awarded a 5-year grant from the National Science Foundation to expand the scope of the IPUMS.  In its first phase, the new project will incorporate current and historical census data from seven foreign countries. Some of the data  under consideration for phase I are:

International partners in this new enterprise  include:  International Microdata Access Group (IMAG, see the following feature); the Australian Consortium for Political and Social Research Incorporated (ACPSRI)  Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Center (CELADE); Norwegian Historical Data Center (NHCD); University of Texas Population Studies Center; African Census Analysis Project, Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania; Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research (CCSR), University of Manchester (UK).

New contemporary U.S. data  

A major facet of the new NSF-sponsored project is the addition of new data for the U.S.  The public use sample from  the 2000 census, along with the American Community Survey from 2000 to 2002 and 528 monthly samples of the Current Population Survey from 1964-2004, will be added to the IPUMS.  With these additions, the database will have a much stronger contemporary focus than the current IPUMS and will be especially useful for national and local studies addressing policy questions.

International Microdata Access Group (IMAG)  

IMAG is one of the international partners cooperating with the Historical Census Project on the development of IPUMS-International.   IMAG was formed by an international group of scholars who work with population data.  Its mission is to preserve original population data, microdata, and their supporting documentation, and to improve access to these data.  For further information, contact Dr. Lisa Y. Dillon,  Institute of Canadian Studies, 52 University Street, P.O. Box 450, Stn. A, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6N5 (ldillon@uottawa.ca).