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Getting started: Mini-workshop on Census RDC proposals. Rosemary Hyson U.S. Census Bureau NYCRDC Baruch May 8, 2008. Preparing a Census RDC proposal. Initial proposal development Development of a formal RDC proposal Proposal review process Post approval process.
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Getting started: Mini-workshop on Census RDC proposals Rosemary HysonU.S. Census BureauNYCRDC Baruch May 8, 2008
Preparing a Census RDC proposal • Initial proposal development • Development of a formal RDC proposal • Proposal review process • Post approval process
I. Initial proposal development • Identify and learn about the RDC data you plan to use Be sure to contact RDC Administrator as part of this step! • Familiarize yourself with the RDC program requirements
1. Identify and learn about the RDC data you plan to use • Talk to RDC Administrator • Determine/confirm availability of key data elements • Identify potential benefits • Ask about other data that may be available • Keep in mind • Timing and unit of observation of data • IDs needed to link to external data • External data can be used with RDC data
Data set listings and descriptions CES Discussion Papers Annual Research Report CES Seminar Series 1. Identify and learn about the RDC data you plan to use CES web page: www.ces.census.gov
1. Identify and learn about the RDC data you plan to use • NYCRDC web site data list: http://ciser.cornell.edu/NYCRDC/census_data.shtml
1. Identify and learn about the RDC data you plan to use • NYCRDC web site Helpful Links http://ciser.cornell.edu/NYCRDC/helpful_links.shtml
Census Bureau web site: www.census.gov Economic Data Survey and program pages (examples—find more) Overview of Economic Statistical Programs www.census.gov/econ/overview/index.html Business Help Site Form Archive bhs.econ.census.gov/BHS/FormLibrary.html Guide to the Economic Census (2002) www.census.gov/econ/census02/ LEHD Technical user guides: lehd.did.census.gov/led/library/tech_user_guides.html Technical papers: lehd.did.census.gov/led/library/techpapers.html Many of these sites are also linked under the CES data set descriptions 1. Identify and learn about the RDC data you plan to use
Demographic survey and program pages (examples—find more) American Community Survey: www.census.gov/acs/www/ Access data/PUMS (PUMS basic info is useful) About the ACS/How to use the data/About the data Decennial Census 1990: www.census.gov/main/www/cen1990.html 2000: www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html American Housing Survey www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/ahs/ahs.html Current Population Survey Technical Documentation www.census.gov/apsd/techdoc/cps/cps-main.html Survey of Income and Program Participation www.sipp.census.gov/sipp/ Many of these sites are also linked under the CES data set descriptions 1. Identify and learn about the RDC data you plan to use
2. Familiarize yourself with the RDC program requirements • Proposals must address RDC requirements • Predominant purpose must be to increase the utility of Title 13, Chapter 5 programs • Research environment is unique to protect unique data www.ces.census.gov/index.php/ces/researchprogram
2. Familiarize yourself with the RDC program requirements • A. Proposals must address RDC requirements • RDC proposals not typical research proposals • RDC proposals evaluated on 5 criteria • Benefits to the Census Bureau • Scientific merit • Need for non-public data • Disclosure risk • Feasibility • CES Proposal Review guidelines/form www.ces.census.gov/index.php/ces/cmsdownloads
2. Familiarize yourself with the RDC program requirements • B. Predominant purpose must be to increase the utility of Title 13, Chapter 5 programs • researchers must propose benefits to a Census Bureau Title 13 Chapter 5 program/data set under criteria listed on CES web site • benefits are described inPredominant Purpose Statement(PPS) proposal document • at project end, summary of benefits provided, technical memo and working paper are required as part of contract
2. Familiarize yourself with the RDC program requirements • C. Research environment is unique to protect unique data • all research must be conducted on-site • no materials can leave the RDC lab unless cleared for disclosure • all collaborators must have SSS and come to the RDC to view undisclosed output
2. Familiarize yourself with the RDC program requirements • C. Research environment is unique to protect unique data • only RDC data approved in proposal can be accessed • extensions to project duration are granted rarely • computing environment is completely isolated • SAS (including SUDAAN and SAS GIS), Stata and Gauss only; address unique needs at proposal stage • external programs or data can only be loaded to your directory by CES • requests for disclosure must be submitted in advance and require supporting documentation
II. Development of a formal RDC proposal • Elements of an RDC proposal • Preliminary information in CES proposal management system • Project description • Predominant purpose statement • Abstract • Proposal submission
1. Preliminary proposal information in CES proposal management system • Prior to starting, you must have: • Created a CES web site account • Read the RDC Proposal Guidelines • Sign in to the CES web site and select “Start a new proposal” • Read and agree to the prerequisite checklist
1. Preliminary proposal information in CES proposal management system • Summarizes proposal information: • Researchers involved • Data sets requested—RDC and external • Criteria met by proposed benefits • Short abstract • Duration and funding for project • RDC location(s) for project
2. Project DescriptionProject descriptions must include: • Typical components of any research proposal • Background, discussion of relevant literature • Proposed methodology • Data sets • Expected project duration • Components specific to the RDC program • proposed benefits to Census Bureau as part of research plan • construction of the analysis data set if combining multiple data sets, including external ones • description of the research outputs you plan to request be disclosed • Sample project descriptions on NYCRDC web site
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS) • PPS describes proposed benefits to Census Bureau Title 13, Chapter 5 programs • Benefits must be the predominant purpose of project • PPS is template for documenting benefits at project end (Post Project Certification-PPC)
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Benefits criteria for non-FTI projects • Evaluating concepts and practices underlying Census Bureau statistical data collection and dissemination practices, including consideration of continual relevance and appropriateness of past Census Bureau procedures to changing economic and social circumstances • Analyzing demographic and social or economic processes that affect Census Bureau programs, especially those that evaluate or hold promise of improving the quality of products issued by the Census Bureau
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Benefits criteria for non-FTI projects • Evaluating or analyzing public programs, public policy, and/or demographic, economic, or social conditions to identify potential complementary datasets, improve data quality, enhance data collection techniques or develop innovative estimation procedures • Conducting or facilitating census and survey data collection, processing or dissemination, including through activities such as administrative support, information technology support, program oversight, or auditing under appropriate legal authority
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Benefits criteria for FTI & non-FTI projects • Understanding and/or improving the quality of data produced through a Title 13, Chapter 5 survey, census, or estimate • Leading to new or improved methodology to collect, measure, or tabulate a Title 13, Chapter 5 survey, census, or estimate • Enhancing the data collected in a Title 13, Chapter 5 survey or census. For example: • Improving imputations for non-response • Developing links across time or entities for data gathered in censuses and surveys authorized by Title 13, Chapter 5
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Benefits criteria for FTI & non-FTI projects • Identifying the limitations of, or improving, the underlying Business Register, Master Address File, and industrial and geographical classification schemes used to collect the data • Identifying shortcomings of current data, collection programs and/or documenting new data collection needs • Constructing, verifying, or improving the sampling frame for a census or survey authorized under Title 13, Chapter 5
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Benefits criteria for FTI & non-FTI projects • Preparing estimates of population and characteristics of population as authorized under Title 13, Chapter 5 • Developing a methodology for estimating non-response to a census or survey authorized under Title 13, Chapter 5 • Developing statistical weights for a survey authorized under Title 13, Chapter 5
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS) • Criterion #11 applies to most projects… • Preparing estimates of population and characteristics of population as authorized under Title 13, Chapter 5 • “Population” applies to businesses as well as households, housing units and individuals, or aggregations of these • Regression model estimates describe variation in population • productivity varies with firm size • housing value varies by owner’s age and education • …but it is rarely enough for significant benefits
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS) • Criterion #5 applies to many projects … • Understanding and/or improving the quality of data produced through a Title 13, Chapter 5 survey, census, or estimate • projects that compare Census data at the micro level or aggregate level with external data • if microdata have been little used projects working with data provide needed feedback on quality
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS) • In addition to Criterion #11, the PPS should • have strong benefits under criterion #5, and/or • appeal to one or more of the other criteria e.g. Criterion 7: “enhancing” the data can mean linking it with other Census or external data that provides useful information to Census
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS) • PPS must: • provide enough detail to evaluate benefits without reading project description or other research papers • justify all years of data requested • describe all Census and external data used • Further explanation and examples of each benefit criterion: “Writing Benefits Statements for Projects Accessing Confidential Data” document on CES web site www.ces.census.gov/index.php/ces/researchguidelines • Sample proposals ciser.cornell.edu/NYCRDC/sample_proposals/sample_proposals.shtml
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Information sources to help identify benefits • Potential RDC Methodological Topics www.ces.census.gov/index.php/ces/cmsdownloads • Research Opportunities at the Census Bureau www.amstat.org/research_grants/CensusBrochure.pdf • Statistical Research Topics www.ces.census.gov/index.php/ces/cmsdownloads • RDC Administrator • Research at CES and the RDCs annual reports • CES Discussion Papers
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Writing the PPS • RDC Administrator approves preliminary information • Proposal # • status = RDC REVIEW • clicking produces a template document with • benefits criteria proposed for the project • listing of FTI in requested data sets • other proposal information • group benefits discussion in a logical way—discuss 2 or 3 benefits in the same section if they fit together
3. Predominant Purpose Statement (PPS)Writing the PPS • Include statement at the end that the project researchers will: • produce a Post Project Certification explaining how the proposed benefits were or were not realized • produce technical memo(s) for the relevant Census Bureau program with details of the benefits • submit papers from their research to the CES Discussion Paper series • inform CES of the publications and presentations resulting from the research project • Sample PPS on NYCRDC web site
4. Abstract • Abstract should summarize: • proposed benefits to Census Bureau programs • proposed research question, data and methodology
Proposal Submission • RDC Administrator will submit your final proposal to CES when: • Administrator considers proposal complete • RDC-specific Project Review process has approved it for submission
III. Proposal review • Reviews by • NYCRDC/external researchers (scientific merit) • CES and Census Bureau subject and data experts • Census Bureau programs/offices • Non-Census data custodians/sponsors: IRS, HUD, BLS • RDC Disclosure Officer and other disclosure experts (disclosure risk)
III. Proposal review • Review outcomes • expect 6 months from final submission to CES • Approved or Not Approved • Not Approved may indicate a revised proposal would be considered • decision, review synopsis, copies of expert reviews are sent to the lead PI
IV. Post project approval • Special Sworn Status application Approval = Census Bureau badge • Issuance of Census Bureau badge • Census Bureau computer ID • CES Account and Data Request Form • Projects • officially begin at first researcher log-in • RDC orientation at project start with RDC Admin • annual progress reports required • benefits write-ups required at end of project • Reactivation policy for R&R
More Info • NYCRDC • www.ciser.cornell.edu/NYCRDC/home.shtml • CES • www.ces.census.gov • Census • www.census.gov • NYCRDC Baruch RDC NYCRDC Baruch Executive • Administrator: Director: Rosemary Hyson Sanders Korenman ces.rdc.nyc.@census.gov sanders_korenman@baruch.cuny.edu 646-660-6788