When we are starting a new research project, quite often we assume that we need to collect data. However, this is not always required as there are many good quality datasets that are readily available for use. Most surveys are designed by very experienced researchers and cover a wide range of topics.
For example, GESIS-Leibniz Institute of the Social Sciences,houses almost all comparative and German social surveys in Europe. Almost all European countries have a data archive. In the UK we have the UK Data Archive, the UKDA is the national data archive. Additionally, the World Bank and Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, provide a wide range of statistics, such as the GDP per Capita, inflation, unemployment, etc.
To download data you need to register first, this is easy to do, you only need an email address. Once you register you may download any dataset you are interested in, for free.
In our module we will use the European Value Study (EVS). EVS, provides insights into the ideas, beliefs, preferences, attitudes, values and opinions of citizens all over Europe. The European Values Study covers a wide range of human values. The main topics covered concern concepts such as family, work, environment, perceptions of life, politics and society, religion and morality, national identity.
You may download the dataset from our module’s website on SurreyLearn.