Many of the data resources listed in this guide can be analyzed online through the host Web site without your having to download files to software such as SPSS or SAS.  The resources listed below are good examples.

This research guide identifies electronic datasets to support statistical research in the social sciences.

• The first three tabs on the side provide general information and assistance for using datasets. 
• The remainder of the tabs, provide links to quality web sites with datasets relating to the topic area of that tab.
• ICPSR is membership based and many, but not all, of their datasets are only available to Lehigh University students, faculty, and staff.

Data files are typically provided in ASCII, SAS, SPSS or STATA format. Using the associated metadata, users import data to a spreadsheet or statistical software program for statistical analysis. Certain data manipulation and data analysis skills are required to download and use these datasets.

Social science data are primarily data gathered from social surveys, polls, interviews, experiments, census or administrative records.  Essential for researchers in conducting quantitative and qualitative social research, social science data are commonly used for secondary analyses, testing theories and hypotheses, methodology evaluations, longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.