Considerations of Online Numeric Databases for Social Science Research

摘要

In an age of lightning-fast information, online numeric databases may seem a godsend to data users. Tantalizing with its instant information and powerful data manipulating packages, online data retrieval fulfills yesterday-is-not-too soon requests to the delight of information specialists. However, while these databases dazzle us up front, we must not forget to examine carefully basic reliability and cost issues. Items needing to be scrutinized include: data type and level availability, source identification and data equivalency, data verification, documentation, software, timeliness, and cost. This paper is oriented to information specialists and was presented on May 21, 1983 at the IASSIST(International Association for Social Science Information Service and Technology) Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Author).