Laurence Horton is Data Librarian at the London School of Economics and Political Science and is responsible for Research Data Management support in the School.
A recent Twitter trend is to list #7fav things, like films or music. “Rather than share my impeccable cultural taste, here’s a list – in no order of preference – of my seven favourite UK Data Service datasets.” #7favDatasets
National Child Development Study, 1958- (NCDS)
Choosing a group of babies born australia rcs data one week in March 1958, this cohort study has returned to these and others born that week to collect data on families, employment, income, housing, health, education, skills, and life expectations. Genetic data was also collected in recent follow-ups.
NCDS is a rich source for research, policy making, and social history with data showing how childhood physical and emotional health impacts adult health, the value of qualifications and higher education to future income, how parental divorce reverberates through a child’s life, and how inequality restricts social mobility.
See also 1970 British and Millennium cohort studies.
British Election Studies (BES)
Covering the 14 UK general elections since 1964, BES data goes beyond who Britons vote for, into why, and what makes them vote (or not).