ABSTRACT
Up to this point, we have discussed data in the context of measurements, data sources, and questionnaire construction. Concepts become variables, and the variables are measured through a variety of methods, including the use of survey questions as illustrated in Box 9.1. When respondents complete and return the survey, the answers to the questions yield observations which are coded into numbers, and the aggregation of the observations begets data. Prior to coding each survey, researchers create a codebook, similar to the one shown in Box 9.2. The codebook is an expansion of the survey, where the level of data (nominal, ordinal, or ratio), numerical codes, and their definitions are added. The database, presented in Box 9.3, is where the researcher enters the information from each survey by placing the variables in the columns, and the observations in the rows. This chapter demonstrates how to create both the codebook and database.
