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Social Sciences Data: ICPSR and More

This guide provides information about locating datasets for use in the social sciences (with a bit about data in the humanities and big data in STEM fields). It also has resources on using datasets (including in teaching) and associated issues.

ICPSR Data

ICPSR (The Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research) is a major source of social science datasets for Washington State University faculty, students and staff. ICPSR maintains and provides access to a vast archive of social science data for research and instruction. You can download data and documentation directly from ICPSR to any computer on all of the WSU campuses; you can also download from off-campus once you have created an ICPSR account (the account needs to be logged in at least once every six months from a campus location. Contact Lorena (see below or on the right side of this page) if this is an issue).

Because of licensing restrictions certain categories of data held or made available by ICPSR are only available to current WSU students, faculty, or staff. Patrons wishing to gain access to the datafiles and documentation available at WSU or needing assistance with downloading information from ICPSR should contact Lorena O'English at oenglish@wsu.edu.

Note: You will need to create an ICPSR Research Passport (formerly MyData account) to download many (but not all) ICPSR files - if you are off-campus, please contact Lorena O'English at oenglish@wsu.edu. You will need to log in with your ICPSR account at least once every six months from a WSU campus computer to keep your account validated for off-campus downloads (if this is a problem, contact Lorena at oenglish@wsu.edu).

How to create an account (Research Passport)

Important notes - 1. you must be logged into your WSU account and on campus, or using WSU's GlobalConnect VPN or logged in through the ICPSR database link in the Libraries A-Z database list when you create your account. 2. The Libraries' OpenAthens authentication software doesn't work with ICPSR institutional logins now, so use the "Using your Email" option. 

Data files may be available in multiple formats. Some may require  special Set-Up files to be read into your specific statistical software tool (i.e. converting file formats from tab delimited to Stata). Useful information is available in the Help FAQ. You will be able to filter by data format from the results page of each search.

How can ICPSR be used?

Secondary research

  • finding the right data
  • What has already been published with that data?
  • Tools to evaluate or analyze data (for many, but not all, datasets)
  • search and compare variables across datasets (for many, but not all, datasets)

Replication studies

Teaching and learning

Uploading your own data

ICPSR Search Tips

ICPSR search tips summary

CC BY ICPSR 

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