Introduction to Administrative Data Research and Analysis

This online course gives a full introduction to working with administrative data. Participants will learn how to understand, access and prepare linked administrative data for analysis.

If you are a social or health researcher with experience of analysing survey data, or if you already work with administrative data but want to analyse multiple administrative datasets linked together, then this course is for you.

The Introduction to Administrative Data Research course was developed jointly by SCADR and the Scottish Longitudinal Study Development Support Unit 

Course overview

The Introduction to Administrative Data Research course combines pre-recorded lectures on key administrative data research topics alongside practical exercises which will provide hands-on experience using R to manipulate and analyse a complex administrative dataset. Lecture videos are delivered by experts in the field of administrative data research. 

Topics covered include:

• Introduction to administrative data and administrative data research
• Legal and ethical contexts of admin data research
• The public license and public engagement
• Understanding data provenance
• Introduction to programming & data manipulation verbs
• Record linkage
• Data visualisation
• Analysing administrative data - methods, issues and challenges
• Results and lessons learned from SCADR researcher
• Scottish & UK data showcase

Practical exercises introduce relevant syntax-driven commands used to:

• tidy, clean and recode data
• link datasets
• manipulate data
• conduct data visualisation
• identify data quality issues
• fit regression models

Support with weekly practical exercises will be available during weekly scheduled virtual lab sessions, with experienced tutors available to answer questions.

Registration and requirements

The course will run online twice a year, in spring and autumn. The next course will run from Monday 4 November to Friday 29 November.  

Applicants are expected to have prior experience of quantitative data analysis and preferably experience of using R. The cost of the course is £120 per participant.

For more details about the course and how to register, visit the SCADR website.

Event details

Date: 4 - 29 November

Time: Self-paced study

Where: Online

Cost: £120

Registration: Find out more on the SCADR website.