22 December, 2009
Collection of Panel Data for Official Statistics as a Source of Data for the Social Sciences
Tobias Gramlich, Tobias Bachteler, Bernhard Schimpl-Neimanns and Rainer Schnell
21 December, 2009
On the 18th of December, 2009, Prof. Dr. Notburga Ott was elected as the new vice-chairperson of the RatSWD. Ott, who has been a member of the German Data Forum (RatSWD) since 2008, is Professor for Social Policy and Public Economics at the Ruhr University in Bochum. Ott has been steadily active in numerous university committees and leading bodies, most recently as the pro-vice chancellor for teaching, further education, and media at Ruhr University (2002–2006).
Prof. Dr. Ott replaces Prof. Petra Stanat (PhD), Professor for Empirical Education Research at the Free University of Berlin, who, after taking office in December 2008, voluntarily restricted her term to one year.
15 December, 2009
UK Strategy for Data Resources for Social and Economic Research 2009-2012
UK Data Forum
08 December, 2009
10 Years of European Data Watch
Documentation of Data Records for Empirical Economic and Social Research and Data Access (in German)
Joachim Wagner
03 December, 2009
The Research Data Center “German Ageing Survey” (FDZ-DEAS) at the German Center for Gerontology, Berlin, began work on the 1st of December, 2009.
The role of the newly founded FDZ-DEAS is to make the microdata produced by the German Ageing Survey accessible to interested researchers as well as to provide general support to these researchers.
27 November, 2009
As of the 1st of July, 2010, Karl Ulrich Mayer, currently Professor for Sociology at Yale University, will preside over the presidency of the Leibniz Association (WGL).
Karl Ulrich Mayer, who was director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin until 2005, has been an active member of numerous organizations including the "Commission on Improving the Information Infrastructure between Science and Statistics" (KVI). Notably, he was also a member and the chairperson of the "Founding Committee for the German Data Forum (RatSWD)."
16 November, 2009
At its Autumn press conference today, the German Council of Science and Humanities published a statement about the status and future development of the German Data Forum (RatSWD).
The German Data Forum was praised for the significant contribution it has made since its founding in 2004 to improving the access of the scientific community to official statistics. The German Data Forum, which advises the German Federal Government and numerous scientific organizations on the strategic future development of data infrastructure in the social, economic, and behavioral sciences, was commended by the German Council of Science and Humanities as having fulfilled its advisory role in a competent manner.
16 November, 2009
The German General Social Survey (ALLBUS), which has been conducted biannually since 1980, is a central component of the social sciences in Germany. The provision of a high-quality data base for secondary analysis is particularly important for up-and-coming researchers who otherwise have no access to such data.
16 November, 2009
The German Council for Social and Economic Data (RatSWD) has released a new book publication (in German), "The Optimization of Existing Criminal Statistical Systems in Germany." The book contains the recommendations of the responsible working group, which is chaired by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Heinz from the University of Konstanz.
16 November, 2009
27 October, 2009
09 October, 2009
The "Working Group National Death Index", which is chaired by Dr. med. Sabine Luttman and Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Ulrich Mueller, began work on the 7th of October, 2009. The purpose of this working group is to discuss the possibility of creating a national mortality register. After all meetings and workshops have been held, the working group will produce a report with recommendations.
Mortality registers have already been successfully established in numerous other countries including the USA, Australia, and England. The creation of a mortality register in Germany would significantly benefit research.
08 October, 2009
All hitherto released RatSWD Working Papers (No. 1-128) and RatSWD Research Notes (No. 1-41) are now available on CD.
Order a free CD at: office@ratswd.de
23 July, 2009
Our latest newsletter contains information on the most important activities of the German Data Forum in relation to data protection and research ethics. Additionally, the most recently certified Research Data Centers of German Data Forum are presented.
23 July, 2009
Data in the Field of Adult Education and Lifelong Learning:
Present Situation, Improvements and Challenges
Corinna Kleinert and Britta Matthes
02 and 03 July 2009, Museum Wiesbaden
On account of the monthly calculation of the consumer price index, extensive and detailed information on price level developments are readily available. However, if one wishes to examine the differences in price levels between numerous regions at any particular given point in time, there is currently insufficient information to make any insightful comparisons. This is the case both in Germany as well as worldwide.
This workshop aims at establishing and evaluating the need for such price indices. Additionally, the different possibilities for obtaining relevant data as well as the methodological aspects of calculating regional price indices will be discussed.
29, June 2009
10, June 2009
The RatSWD Working Paper Series, which began in 2007, has been restructured and reprinted. So as to make the general orientation of papers released within this series clear at the first glance, the new improved structure takes the form of a "Research Notes" Series. The pre-print edition of this series began in 2007 under the title of "RatSWD Working Papers."
As of 2009, only conceptual and historical works concerned with the statistical and research infrastructure of the social, behavioural, and economic sciences will be published as "RatSWD Working Papers." In particular, papers released within this series are concerned with the organization of official statistics, government research, and academic research as well as articles that are related to the work of the German Data Forum. Other papers that relate to the above mentioned topics outside of Germany are also welcome. To make life easier for non-German speakers, only English papers appear on the English webpages of the RatSWD site. All papers, in both English and German, are freely available in chronological order on the German webpages of the RatSWD Working Papers site.
As a second element of the RatSWD´s online publications, the RatSWD Research Notes serve as a worldwide accessible platform for the prompt publication of both research findings based on empirical data and the conceptual ideas for how surveys for collecting data may be organized.
Works from all sub-disciplines of social and economic sciences are released within the series. The RatSWD Research Notes provide an insight into the diverse possibilities for the scientific application of empirical data and statistics and are intended for interested scientists with an emphasis on empiricism as well as representatives of public institutions responsible for research infrastructure and the collection of data.
24, February 2009
The Working Paper Series of the German Data Forum (RatSWD) contains recent advisory reports on the further development of research infrastructure in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences in Germany and beyond. In this series, Dr. Klaus Reeh, advisor to the General Director of the Statistical Office of the European Commission (EUROSTAT), presents his paper "Some European Based Policy Reflections for the Further Development of Data Infrastructure of the Social and Economic Sciences."
