ICPSR Research Paper Competition

Deadline: Monday, January 31, 2011!

ICPSR is offering two research paper competitions for undergraduates and one for master's students in 2011. ICPSR invites undergraduate and master's papers analyzing any dataset(s) in the ICPSR archive or its Thematic Collections. The other competition, sponsored by the Research Center for Minority Data (RCMD), solicits papers addressing issues relevant to minorities in the United States, including immigrants. These papers must draw on data in the RCMD archive.

The awards are:

• ICPSR Competition for Undergraduates - First prize - $1,000 and Second prize - $750
• ICPSR Competition for Master's students - First prize - $1,000 and Second prize - $750
• RCMD Competition for Undergraduates - First prize - $1,000 and Second prize - $750

For eligibility and submission requirements, please see the paper competition Web site: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/prize/index.jsp

Questions? ICPSR Contact Barbara Mento, barbara.mento@bc.edu

New ICPSR Studies on Aging

29321 Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA Study), 1996-2008:

Semi-Annual Phone Call Data

29323 Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA Study), 1996-2008:

Neuropsychological Exam Data

Questions? Barbara Mento: barbara.mento@bc.edu

New ICPSR Studies!

Study 22660
Evaluation of Gender Violence and Harassment Prevention Programs in Middle Schools in Cleveland, Ohio, 2006-2007 [United States]

Study 26621
National Survey of the Japanese Elderly, 1996

Study 27581
Political Business Cycles in Open Economies in 28 Developing Countries From Latin America, Asia, and Africa, 1976-2002

Available to Boston College Community.
Questions? Barbara Mento: barbara.mento@bc.edu

Celebrate GIS Day at the O'Neill Library Wed. Nov. 17th

GIS Day Open House O’Neill Library
Wednesday, November 17th

Join us at the O'Neill Library for a celebration of GIS Day.

• Learn more about Geographic Information Systems and how this powerful data mapping tool can enhance your research.
• See a demonstration of the ArcGIS software and B.C. spatial data.
• Sign up for a personal tutorial on how to use GIS software.
• Browse posters with samples of GIS applications and it’s use at Boston College.
• Pick up a flyer with details of our GIS contest (with prizes) and information on how to download the ArcGIS software! GIS Contest Flyer
  

Drop by for demonstrations of ArcGIS in the lobby of the O'Neill Library from:

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Try a chocolate globe while they last . . .

Any questions? Contact Barbara Mento, Data/GIS Manager: barbara.mento@bc.edu

Sponsored by Boston College Libraries

Free ICPSR Data Fair- November 8 – 11, 2010

Topics covered include data management, North American data sources, International data sources, and data resources for teaching.

Selected Organizations and Projects Discussed at the Free, Virtual Data Fair:
• The Censuses of Germany, The Netherlands, and the US
• UNdata and the World Bank’s Data Catalog
• Cultural Policy and the Arts National Data Archive (CPANDA)
• Latin American Public Opinion Project
• Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA)
• The Roper Center
• American FactFinder, data.gov, & Bureau of Labor Statistics
• The Health and Retirement Study
• Panel Study of Income Dynamics
• ODESI (Canada)
• Minnesota Population Center
• Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science
• Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE)

Register for any and all sessions here: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/datafair/program.jsp

Now Available - Data from EIU

The library now subscribes to 2 new data databases from the Economists Intelligence Unit (EIU)

EIU City Data
A global database of product prices and business costs providing over 330 prices levels on more than 160 products and services in 140 cities worldwide from 1990 to the present.

EIU Market Indicators & Forecasts
A comprehensive database of economic, demographic, consumption and industry data on 60 major countries worldwide and 11 regional aggregates, stretching back to 1990. The product includes detailed economic and industry forecasts for the next five years and longer-term economic projections.

The interface provides easy downloads to Excel or use the quick charting function.

Questions? Barbara Mento, Data/GIS, Economics Librarian

New OECD Reports on Obesity and Healthcare Costs

From OECD Fact Blog

Education, Income and Social Factors
"Obesity is not just about weight. It is associated with chronic conditions that are costly to treat, such as heart disease and diabetes. Since the 1980s, obesity has risen right across the OECD area, and has begun to emerge in poorer countries too."
Report includes links to data underlying data in Excel format.

GPs and Healthcare Costs
"It may be common knowledge that doctors’ pay outstrips average wages, with the really high earnings going to medical specialists. But now, more and more doctors are becoming specialised, with implications for costs and healthcare policy more generally."
Report includes links to data underlying data in Excel format.

Visit our full OECD iLibrary database with comprehensive access to statistical data and full text of books, journals and working papers from OECD.

Happy World Statistics Day! New ILO Database

Press Release from Geneva:

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a new statistics database containing timely information on the labour market and consumer prices aimed at providing vital information needed by policy makers faced with a global economic and social crisis.

The new database, Short Term Indicators of the Labour Market, was launched by the ILO Department of Statistics on World Statistics Day (20 October) and will be updated each month with the latest national data for indicators reflecting recent- and short-term changes on the labour market.

“Governments, employers’ organizations, trade unions, labour market analysts and the media can now count on an improved labour statistics tool, allowing them to better monitor, understand, and analyze the recent events in labour markets”, says Rafael Diez de Medina, Director of the ILO Department of Statistics.

The new database contains selected indicators for some 70 countries and territories that gather infra-annual information for the current year. In addition, 40 indicators are available disaggregated by sex.

The new service also includes an interactive map containing most of the data organized by country and topic. Country profiles provide a quick and accurate snapshot of each country’s labour market situation, while information organized by topic allows for cross-country comparison and global analysis. Data are collected in close contact with National Statistical Offices and the process has been optimized in order to extract the greatest amount of information in the shortest period of time.

Especially interesting is the inclusion of seasonally adjusted sectoral data. In the first case, official adjustments were compiled for countries which adjust their data and the ILO has adjusted the time series in the rest of the cases.

The information has passed through quality controls but is nonetheless subject to revisions that the countries may undertake in the future. Users can obtain a printable page with latest data and information can be downloaded to Excel files.