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Surveys-On-Call is an on-line system for creating extracts from selected micro-data files available from the Census Bureau. Using Surveys-On-Call researchers can download public-use data via the Internet or through dial-in access. Traditionally, the Census Bureau has made public-use micro-data files available only in tape or cartridge format. These files are typically large, requiring relatively large computer capacity and relatively extensive programming experience to process these files and prepare analytical data files. Surveys-on-Call is the first Census Bureau software through which public-use data are made available to users via on-line computer systems. The system allows users to create extracts of public-use data files and then download the extracted data onto their own computer systems for further processing and analysis. Surveys-On-Call is a menu- driven user-friendly system that allows users to easily extract data, thereby reducing the learning curve previously necessary for processing tape or cartridge files. Users can download the datasets and use software with which they are familiar on their own computer systems to analyze the extracted data.
Surveys-On-Call evolved from an earlier dial-in stand-alone computer system called SIPP-On-
Call. The SIPP-On-Call system was developed under a contract with the Food and Consumption Service (FCS) and was intended to provide FCS and other users with an online computer system to access Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data files. The SIPP-On-Call system had only a dial-in capacity and had only SIPP public-use data files available. As the use of this system expanded, it was moved to the Internet and other household surveys were added to the system, specifically the March Demographic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), the American Housing Survey (AHS), and the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES). In addition, integrating the software as part of the Internet access made the system more widely available and the transfer of large data sets much easier. Concurrent with the expansion of the data sets to other surveys and to its integration as part of Internet products, the name of the system was changed to Surveys-on-Call.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the Surveys-On-Call system for users and to present a simple users’ guide that will assist in the use of the system.
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