ICPSR Data Archives Service

What is ICPSR? | How do you use ICPSR? | ICPSR FAQ

What is ICPSR?

The ICPSR, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research is located within the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. It is a membership organization that provides:

• Access to the world's largest computerized social science data archive.
• Training facilities for the study of quantitative social analysis techniques.
• Resources for social scientists using advanced computer technologies.

Contact the UMKC ICPSR Official Representative if you have any questions regarding this service.

Return to top

How do you use ICPSR?

Step 1: Identify studies of interest by searching the ICPSR archive at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/.

Step 2: Download all of the files associated with the study/studies.

Step 3: Use SAS or SPSS to analyze the data and complete your project.

Return to top

ICPSR FAQ

Q: Do I have to be affiliated with UMKC to use the ICPSR data archive?

A: Yes. The UMKC University Libraries subscribe annually to be a member organization of ICPSR, which allows UMKC students, faculty, and staff access to studies from ICPSR.

Q: How do I know if the ICPSR data archive has information that suits my needs?

A: You may determine if ICPSR has data of interest by searching http://www.icpsr.umich .edu/. The archive is searchable by keyword, author, title, and study number. A codebook accompanies each study and provides a description of the study, the criteria used, procedures followed and results determined in carrying out the study.

Q: How do I obtain the ICPSR study that interests me?

A: You may obtain the study from the ICPSR archive at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/. If you are unable to obtain the study yourself, please contact the UMKC ICPSR Official Representative.

Q: Do I need special software to access these studies?

A: Yes. Each study will be available for you to download in various formats, such as PDF, HTML, Microsoft Word, text, SAS, or SPSS. These files are large in size and will take up a lot of space on a disk or hard drive.

Q: How do I view a file using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software?

A: On the UMKC campus, SPSS is available in each of the Information Services managed labs. It is also available in the student computer labs within the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Interdisciplinary Computing and Engineering, and School of Nursing. The Conservatory of Music and Dance's Music Education/Music Therapy Computer Facility also has the software installed.

Q: How do I get help using SAS or SPSS?

A: For assistance in using SAS or SPSS, contact Deborah Wall, Business Technology Analyst-Expert in Information Services, or visit http://cctr.umkc.edu/~icpsr and http://pages.infinit.net/rlevesqu/index.htm for examples and tips.

Return to top