Ten Ways IPUMS International Adds Value to Census Microdata

Many statistical offices recognize the need for enhancing access to census microdata. High costs, challenging risks, and low rewards are substantial obstacles to going-it-alone. An economical, essentially cost-free solution, endorsed by more than 90 National Statistical Offices, is offered by the IPUMS-International project. This paper discusses ten ways the project enhances access and adds value to census microdatagrouped into four categories: 1. statistical confidentiality (security, disclosure protections, managing access), 2. Integration (comprehensive source documentation, integrated metadata, integrated, pooled microdata, IPUMS-I constructed variables), 3. Dissemination (free, trans-border access, custom-tailored extracts), and 4. ethics (statistical transparency, academic freedom, reduction of risks of fraud/mis-representation, and sharing of research findings). Statistical agencies not yet participating in the IPUMS-International initiative are invited to do so. Those already participating are encouraged to entrust 2010 round census microdata to the project in a timely manner.