Assessment of Survey Data for the Analysis of Marriage and Divorce at the National, State, and Local Levels

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TITLE PAGE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. INTRODUCTION

II. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

Relevancy: Survey Data Can Be Used to Calculate Marriage and Divorce Rates

Reliability: Survey Design Likely to Provide Estimates of Marriage and Divorce Rates that Match an External Source

Representativeness: Survey Data Capture Broad U.S. Population and Provide State and/or Local Level Estimates

Ongoing: Survey Planned to Continue into Foreseeable Future

Contains Correlates of Interest: Survey Includes Correlates and Outcomes of Interest to Research and Policy Community

Summary

III. KEY DATA SETS IDENTIFIED AND THE CRITERIA THEY MEET

Relevancy: Survey Data Can Be Used to Calculate Marriage and Divorce Rates

Reliability: Survey Design Likely to Provide Estimates of Marriage and Divorce Rates that Match an External Source

Representativeness: Survey Data Capture Broad U.S. Population and Provide State and/or Local Level Estimates

Ongoing: Survey Planned to Continue into Foreseeable Future

Contains Correlates of Interest: Survey Includes Correlates and Outcomes of Interest to Research and Policy Community

Comparison of ACS, SIPP, and NSFG

IV. DETAILS OF THE THREE KEY DATA SETS

American Community Survey (ACS)

National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)

Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

Summary

V. REFERENCES

VI. APPENDIX A: OTHER DATA SETS EXAMINED

VII. APPENDIX B: MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE QUESTIONS

 

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