What is a Codebook?
A codebook describes the contents, structure, and layout of a data collection. A well-documented codebook “contains information intended to be complete and self-explanatory for each variable in a data file 1.”
Some codebooks include methodological details, such as how weights were computed and data collection instruments, while others, particularly with larger or more complex data sets, leave those out.
As shown in the example below from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 2, the main body of a codebook contains unambiguous variable level details, such as:
- Some researchers prefer mnemonic abbreviations (e.g., EMPLOY1), while others prefer alphanumeric patterns (e.g., VAR001). For survey data, try to name variables after the question numbers – e.g., Q1, Q2b, etc. [in the above example, H40-SF12-2]
- Variable label: A brief description to identify the variable for the u
Fewer details are required for variables that are compiled, created, or constructed, such as the examples below from the Aging of Veterans of the Union Army: Military, Pension, and Medical Records, 1820-1940 3 study and the Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study4 study.
Researchers sometimes add appendices listing variable names and labels alphabetically, by sample characteristic, or according to the substantive groups to which they belong – e.g., Demographic Variables, Health Status Variables – to improve usability on complex or larger data collections.
Codebooks come in a variety of shapes and formats, and the stylistic touches can be tailored to the research project’s needs as long as the content is complete and self-explanatory.
/h2> /h2> /h2> /h2
Additional Examples
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, conducted by the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NSDA) between 2003 and 2009, collected data from a wide range of sources, including national surveys, national elections, and drug use surveys.
Resources
Princeton University Data and Statistical Services, “How to Use a Codebook,” and UCLA Social Science Data Archives, “Codebooks.” The UK Data Archive, “Documenting Your Data/Data Level/Structured Tabular Data,” and Institute for Health and Care Research Quality Handbook; Princeton University Data and Statistical Services, “How to Use a Codebook,” and Institute for Health and Care Research Quality Handbook; Princeton University Data and Statistical Services, “How to Use a Codebook.”
References
ICPSR25962-v2. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) 2009-2010. American National Election Study 2008-2009 Panel Study Frequency codebook, version 20090903. National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979-2009. General Social Surveys, 1972-2008 [Cumulative File]. ICPSR25962-v2.
What is a coding book?
A codebook is a type of document used for collecting and storing cryptography codes. While codebooks used to be literal books, the term has come to mean the complete record of a series of codes, regardless of physical format.
What is another name for a book series?
There are several terms for this, including omnibus, bibliography, collection, novel sequence, and roman-fleuve.
What is a book of instruction called?
1. instruction manual, instructions, operating instructions. 2. book of instructions – a manual that usually comes with a technical device and explains how to install or operate it.
What is a list of books called?
Answer and Explanation: A catalogue is a list of books in a library.
How do I start coding?
How to Get Started with Coding
- Take online courses, watch video tutorials, read books and ebooks, complete coding projects, find a mentor, and consider enrolling in a coding bootcamp.
Why is coding so hard?
Coding is considered difficult because it is a different type of skill; u201cdifferentu201d in the sense that it is unlike anything most of us have ever experienced before. You may be familiar with the various children’s coding languages and what code looks like, but the other 90% is completely different.
What is 4 book series called?
The term “quadrilogy,” which uses the Latin prefix quadri- instead of the Greek, and was first recorded in 1865, has also been used to market the Alien movies as an alternative to “tetralogy.”
What is a 7 book series called?
A heptalogy (from Greek hepta-, “seven,” and -logia, “discourse”), also known as a septology, is a literary or narrative work composed of seven separate works.
What is a 6 book series called?
A hexalogy (from the Greek – hexa-, “six,” and – -logia, “discourse”) is a literary or narrative work composed of six separate works.
What is a book of names and addresses called?
An address book, also known as a name and address book, is a book or database that stores contact entries, which typically consist of a few standard fields (for example, first name, last name, company name, address, phone number, e-mail address, fax number, and mobile phone number).
What do you call an instruction manual?
An owner’s manual (also known as an instruction manual or a user guide) is a book or booklet that comes with almost all technologically advanced consumer products, such as cars, home appliances, and computer peripherals, and contains instructions for normal or intended use.
What is the book of instruction in the Bible?
The Torah u2013 the five books of Moses that make up the first five books of the Bible u2013 was the u201cbook of instruction.u201d Instruction u2013 The Torah reveals God’s Law, by which all will be judged, as well as the covenant God made with Israel when He freed them from slavery in Egypt.
What is a set of 5 books called?
5 books equals a quintet.
What do you call a list of books you have read?
” a library catalog” see Google.com catalog. synonyms: directory, register, index, list, listing, record, archive, inventory.
How many different books are there?
Google: There Are Exactly 129,864,880 Books in the World. Google’s data nerds have been hard at work devising a method for calculating the exact number of unique books in the world, which turns out to be just shy of 130 million after much calculating.