Understanding Codebooks: A Guide for Students

ICPSR presents: #NoStupidQuestions Description: Have you ever had a professor give you an assignment, and you didn't know how to do it, but you were too embarrassed to ask? In this episode of the "My Professor Said..." series, our grumpy professor assumes we already know how to read a codebook. But what is a codebook—and why does it feel like deciphering a treasure map? We unpack how codebooks are actually your data’s best guide, helping you decode variables, values, and everything in between. Turns out, reading a codebook might be the smartest first step you can take before diving into your data. Chapters 00:00 Codebook overview 00:46 Explaining variables & values 01:23 Frequency distribution, citations, and other information 02:08 Where to find a codebook Submit your own question to the #NoStupidQuestions series: https://myumi.ch/W2Zm5 Find data and resources at ICPSR: https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/ #ICPSR #Data #DataAnalysis #metadata #Research