Social Science Data Archive                                                                                      

About the Data Archive

Data services have been operating at UCLA since 1961 when political science professor Dwaine Marvick established the Political Behavior Archive (PBA); through his efforts, UCLA was one of the 8 founding members of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) in 1962.  When the Survey Research Center (SRC) was formed in 1964,under the direction of Eve Fielder, the PBA was merged with a planned Archive Data Library the SRC was to house. In 1977, Donald Treiman (Distinguished Professor, Sociology) was instrumental in designing and defining the framework of the Data Archive as it now functions.

The mission of the Social Science Data Archive has been and continues to be to provide a foundation for social science research with faculty support throughout an entire research project involving original data collection or the reuse of publicly available studies. Data Archive staff and researchers work as partners throughout all stages of the research process, beginning when a hypothesis or area of study is being developed, during grant and funding activities, while data collection and/or analysis is ongoing, and finally in long term preservation of research results. Our role is to provide a collaborative environment where the focus is on understanding the nature and scope of research approach and management of research output throughout the entire life cycle of the project.

Instructional support, especially support that links research with instruction is also a mainstay of operations.  The Data Archive is one of the key support components in those disciplines that provide instruction in research methods, survey design and methods, statistics, and data analysis. Throughout the campus, data provided by the Archive is used by faculty in courses to transmit pedagogy, illustrate theory and develop understanding of social, political, demographic, economic, geographic and historical trends and issues.

Contact information:

Libbie Stephenson, Archivist (libbie@ucla.edu)   (Abridged vitae)

Jamie Jamison, Technology Specialist (jamison@ucla.edu)

Statistical Consulting by Appointment

Phone: 310-825-0716
FAX: 310-206-4453


Hours:

Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm.
Appointments are not necessary but they are strongly recommended.