ICPSR announces ResearchDataGov portal to streamline researchers’ access to Federal Statistical System microdata
ANN ARBOR – ICPSR is excited to announce a new tool that will simplify how researchers discover and access restricted microdata from principal statistical agencies and units within the Federal Statistical System.
The new tool, ResearchDataGov, is a web-based service now available to request a broad range of federal restricted-use data. The U.S. Census Bureau, under the direction of the Office of Management and Budget, awarded a contract to ICPSR to host the site and pilot a single portal and standard application process for requesting access to restricted data. This offering achieves a key goal of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 to develop a single application for requesting data assets for developing evidence.
“This project is an exciting opportunity for ICPSR to help reduce barriers to accessing restricted data in tangible ways,” said Hoelter. “ResearchDataGov will allow researchers to find and apply for access to important data from federal statistical agencies for research and policy work — these data were always available, but discovering and accessing them often required many phone and/or email exchanges between researchers and agency staff. ResearchDataGov will streamline the process significantly.”
The agencies using ResearchDataGov will initially include the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, National Center for Health Statistics, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Additional agencies will participate in the future as the site expands. ResearchDataGov will improve the experience of researchers by providing a single system through which researchers can easily find restricted-use data and request access using a standard application process for all participating agencies.
The ResearchDataGov project is being led by Principal Investigator J. Trent Alexander, who is Associate Director and Research Professor at ICPSR, and co-PI Lynette Hoelter, an Associate Archivist at ICPSR.
The portal will launch Dec. 17, 2019.
For more information:
ResearchDataGov Application Portal for Restricted Data for Federal Statistics
Related:
ICPSR is host of new United States Census Bureau Data Repository
Contact: Dory Knight-Ingram
Dec 18, 2019