Scavenger Hunt: Research Data Resources at ICPSR

Your Mission

Calling all data enthusiasts and ICPSR aficionados. Get ready to explore ICPSR’s collection of research data resources. You’ll find the instructions, clues, and materials you’ll need to complete the hunt below. Along the way, you’ll discover ICPSR data resources available at your fingertips.

Who?

Anyone can participate whether a student, data librarian, novice data enthusiast, or anyone in between.

What is it?

This scavenger hunt leads virtual participants to key data resources on the ICPSR website. This resource can also be used in-person, such as for classroom instruction.

Why?

Start the school year (or get a refresher any time) by becoming familiar with research data support available at ICPSR.

Instructions

Use the clues below to identify the answer or solution and record your findings. Need help? Join us at an upcoming virtual event or reach out via email for assistance. Once you’ve completed your list, submit the form below to receive your free certificate.

Scavenger Hunt Questions

Find the answers to the following clues:

  1. Data come in many forms, from numbers to text and beyond, representing everything from voting to ice cream flavors to love. Before you dive in, a little preparation is key. As you begin to explore a data package, called a “study” at ICPSR, what do you call the detailed guide to unlocking data secrets, decoding variables, values, and everything in between?

  2. This resource measures the impact of research, recording the citations that data receive. Where can you find info about adding/using citations on the ICPSR website?

  3. What are the names of ICPSR’s two newest data archives?

  4. What ICPSR program has offered training (beginner- to expert-level) in statistics, data analysis, and quantitative research methods for over 60 years to thousands of participants worldwide?

  5. Approximately how many variables can be found when you search for “love” on the ICPSR website?

  6. What part of the ICPSR website has classroom-ready resources created especially for undergraduate faculty and students?

  7. List three thematic collections/topical archives that call ICPSR home.

  8. Use the ICPSR search to find the study number for a data collection about Michigan fish. How many species are in the inventory and who is the Principal Investigator?

  9. What data archive could you visit if you wanted information about dancers or artists?

Scavenger Hunt Completion Form

  1. Hint: https://myumi.ch/AWz5n
  2. Hint: https://myumi.ch/73y1y
  3. Hints: https://myumi.ch/962kd & https://myumi.ch/zwJbR
  4. Hint: https://myumi.ch/j7p7N
  5. Hint: https://myumi.ch/5J7J3
  6. Hint: https://myumi.ch/Z393J
  7. Hint: https://myumi.ch/x7G7n
  8. Hint: https://myumi.ch/qGNGE
  9. Hint: https://myumi.ch/gR413

  1. Codebook
  2. ICPSR Bibliography of Data-related Publications
  3. Social Media Archive (SOMAR) and Social, Behavioral, and Economic COVID Coordinating Center (SBE CCC)
  4. ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods
  5. 8,349
  6. Teaching & Learning section
  7. Any of the following: American Economic Association Data and Code Repository; American Educational Research Association Data Repository; Center for Global Health Equity’s Data Collaborative Archive; Child and Family Data Archive; DataLumos; Data Sharing for Demographic Research (DSDR); Health and Medical Care Archive (HMCA); Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention; Journal of Economic History Data Repository; National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA); National Archive of Data on Arts & Culture (NADAC); National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA); National Addiction and Health Data Archive Program (NAHDAP); National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD); Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID); Patient-Centered Outcomes Data Repository (PCODR); Resource Center for Minority Data (RCMD); Social, Behavioral, & Economic COVID Coordinating Center (SBE CCC); Social Media Archive at ICPSR; U.S. Census Data; Western Economic Association International
  8. 36 species; PI is Michigan Department of Natural Resources
  9. National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC)