Analysing and Comparing Large-Scale and Complex Social Survey Data: Insights from the Analysis of Socio-Economic Inequalities in Childhood

This is a free event for academic researchers who would like to gain a better understanding of analysing and comparing complex large-scale social survey data. The event showcases insights from an ongoing project analysing socio-economic inequalities in childhood.

The UK has a wealth of high quality large-scale social survey data resources which include the famous British birth cohort studies. The older birth cohorts e.g. the National Child Development Study (NCDS) and British Cohort Study (BCS) were collected using a relatively straightforward sampling technique, which selected all of the babies born in one week of the year. The more recent birth cohort the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) has a more complex design. The MCS was designed to support the widest range of research investigations (for example the analysis of sub-sample and special groups). Complex selection strategies were used to ensure that the dataset provides a good representation of the population. The challenge of using surveys with complex designs and selection strategies is that they require techniques that go beyond standard analysis methods. The focus of this event is the challenges that researchers face when undertaking research that combines data from the older birth cohort studies and the Millennium Cohort Study and showcasing insights from an ongoing project that uses these data sources for analysing socio-economic inequalities in childhood.

The workshop will be particularly suitable for academic researchers with existing statistical expertise, but non-academic researchers are also welcome.

This event is organised as part of an ongoing academic project Have Socio-Economic Inequalities in Childhood Cognitive Test Scores Changed? which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.