[DDI-users] DDI tools to get SPSS to DDI 2.x

[Dan Smith]

Hi Katherine,

Another option is to use Colectica to import the SPSS and export to DDI-2.

Step 1.
http://www.colectica.com/howto/import-spss-files

Step 2.
http://www.colectica.com/howto/export-ddi-2

Cheers!
Dan


On 1/10/2012 11:36 AM, Katherine McNeill wrote:
> I am creating a codebook of a survey done on campus, using <oXygen/> (in
> 2.0 or 2.1 because we’re just looking for a simple codebook, and
> planning on using style sheets written for this version). However, for
> reasons of privacy, I don’t have access to the data file itself, created
> with SPSS by our Office of Institutional Research. I’m working on the
> variable descriptions in the codebook and could enter them manually (I
> do have a PDF of the survey instrument), but for time (and my desire to
> model good DDI processes), I’m hoping to find a more efficient way to
> produce the variable metadata in some semi-automated way (from the SPSS
> file, I’m hoping). The office that holds the data file isn’t experienced
> with DDI, but I’m this may also be an opportunity to introduce them to
> the standard (if I can do so in a relatively convenient way).
>
> A couple of options I’ve thought of (but have hit dead ends on both):
>
> 1) I’m aware of the ability of Stat/transfer to produce DDI 3.0
> metadata. So maybe they could create the DDI 3.0 on their end (if they
> have access to Stat/transfer) and then I could convert it to 2.x. But
> I’m afraid I’m at a loss to find a tool to be able to convert the DDI
> 3.0 to an earlier version. Maybe I’m missing something?
>
> 2) Another alternative (but seems to be more work on their part) is to
> find an easy tool for them to use to create the DDI 2.x right from the
> SPSS on their part. However, I haven’t seem to find one currently
> available that seems highly easy to use. DDI DExT seems to be maybe a
> little too big of a learning curve. I’ve also considered XCONVERT, but
> it has a couple of different steps and may not capture the question
> text. Are there other tools out there for this that people could recommend?
>
> Or maybe there’s a third alternative I haven’t considered.
>
> Many of the tools listed on the DDI web site
> (http://www.ddialliance.org/resources/tools) aren’t up-to-date (aside: I
> am on the group to update this system, and we’re working on it…), and
> the availability of things can come and go, so I’m hoping that someone
> has some better tools or processes on their end that they can
> recommend/share.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Kate McNeill
>
> ___________________________________
> Katherine McNeill
> Social Science Data Services and Economics Librarian
> Massachusetts Institute of Technology
> mcneillh at mit.edu | 617-253-0787
> http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/data/
> http://libguides.mit.edu/econ
>
>
>
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> DDI-users at icpsr.umich.edu
> http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/mailman/listinfo/ddi-users


-- 
Dan Smith
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