New WRDS data: OptionMetrics and Audit Analytics

With your WRDS account you can now access the follow data for the next year:

OptionMetrics

OptionMetrics, by Ivy DB, is a data set of historical price and implied volatility data for the US equity and index options markets. Variables include historical prices of options and their associated underlying instruments, correctly calculated implied volatilities, and option sensitivities.It is available via a WRDS account. Data coverage starts in 1996.

Audit Analytics expanded coverage:

Benefit Plan Opinions, Audit Analytics Company Block, Audit Comment Letters, Audit Comment Letters Conversations, Audit Director and Officer Changes, Audit Legal Case and Legal Parties, Audit Non-reliance Restatements.

Access to both of these data sets are for ONE year only.

New ICPSR Study: National Congregations Study, 1998 and 2006 [Cumulative File]

Study 3471 National Congregations Study, 1998 and 2006 [Cumulative File]

Summary: The current cumulative National Congregations Survey (NCS) includes Wave I and Wave II data. Wave I consists of interviews conducted in 1998, and Wave II consists of interviews conducted in 2006-07, including a panel component comprising re-interviews of a sample of congregations who participated in Wave I. The NCS elicited from respondents a description of their religious congregation, including its membership, the content of its worship service, and its other activities.

ICPSR Call for Student Research Papers

This year ICPSR is sponsoring THREE competitions – two for undergraduates and a new competition for Master’s level students!

The purpose of these competitions is to highlight the best student research papers using quantitative data.

The objective is to encourage students to explore the social sciences by means of critical analysis of a topic supported by quantitative analysis of a dataset(s) held within the ICPSR archive and presented in written form.

• The winner of each competition receives $1,000 cash and the paper will be published.
• Deadline for submission is January 31, 2010.

More information, submission guidelines, and promotional posters are found by visiting the competition website found here: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/prize/index.jsp

GIS Day Open House at the O’Neill Library on Nov. 18th, 2009

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 collection.
  
  
• Sign up for a personal tutorial on how to use GIS software.
  
  
• Browse posters with samples of GIS applications and its use at Boston College.
  
  
• Pick up a flyer with detail of our GIS contest (with prizes) and information on how to download the ArcGIS software.

Drop by for demonstrations of ArcGIS in the lobby of O'Neill Library from:
11:00 – noon
1:00 -2:00 p.m.
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Try a chocolate globe while they last . . .

Questions? Constact: Barbara Mento, Data/GIS Manager

WRDS Scheduled Downtime: Monday, November 9, 2009, 8pm-2am ET

Please note that WRDS will be unavailable tonight. See message below from WRDS:

WRDS Scheduled Downtime: Monday, November 9, 2009, 8pm-2am ET

WRDS has scheduled downtime to take place on Monday, November 9, 8pm-2am ET.

PCSAS and UNIX will not be affected. However, web queries will be unavailable during this period.

We apologize for any inconvenience. An update will be posted following the downtime.

2009 ICPSR Meeting Webinar Recordings - Now Available!

Some great programs were offered during the open ICPSR meeting this year via webinars!

Missed the meeting? Missed a session of interest?

Session recordings and slides (if submitted) are available on the meeting website.
See: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/or/ormeet/program/index.jsp

Also, don’t forget to view the pre-recorded presentations found in the right column!

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

Locating and Using Data for Secondary Research October 8, 2009 12:00 - 1:30 pm O’Neill 245

Locating and Using Data for Secondary Research at Boston College

October 8, 2009 12:00 - 1:30 pm O’Neill 245 Note room change!

Boston College offers many sources and repositories of data for secondary research in the social sciences, education, nursing, economics, business and other disciplines. This tutorial is particularly geared to researchers who need to access, analyze and manipulate data from BC's subscription data repositories. This tutorial will help you: find the data you need for your research or class project; learn about the Boston College collection of data resources in the Statistical Data Catalog; and how to download the data onto your desktop, including how to import into quantitative analytical tools such as SPSS. Get a tour of the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, a data archive that includes over 5,000 datasets. We will also discuss the library’s guides to key Business, Economics, Education, Health, and General U.S. and cross-national data sources. Topics may be customized based on attendees’ research interests. Please contact datasupport@bc.edu for more information.

Registration

To sign up for a tutorial, please send email to researchservices@bc.edu with the name of the tutorial.