Multiple files are released for each wave of the Innovation Panel. Table 6.1 summarizes the general content and level of data files.
The Questionnaire Data, Sample Information, and Paradata files are released in each wave.
The Life History files exist only for some waves.
The table summarizes which units are contained in the file, which instrument the data are from. The table also points to key variables useful in linking data files for analysis.
Variants in the files released are detailed in the Variations of files page.
| Data file | Description of units | Source of data | Unique identifiers* |
| Questionnaire data | |||
| INDALL | all enumerated persons at respondent households | household grid module | w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| EGOALT | derived file containing one record for each pair of enumerated individuals within each household | derived from household grid module | w_hidp, w_epno, w_apno, pidp, w_apidp |
| HHRESP | respondent households | household questionnaire | w_hidp |
| INDRESP | Respondent individuals, including proxy interviews (w_ivfio=2) | individual questionnaire including self-completion | w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| CHILDCARE | a record for each child receiving childcare | childcare module in individual questionnaire | w_childpno, w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| INCOME | a record for each income source reported by an individual | household finance module in individual questionnaire | w_hidp, w_pno, w_ficode |
| YOUTH | youth respondents (10-15 years old) | youth self-completion questionnaire | w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| Retrospective data from Life History modules (RELEASED ONLY IN SOME WAVES) | |||
| ADOPT | a record for each adopted or step-child | fertility history module in individual questionnaire | w_adoptno, w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| COHAB | a record for each cohabitation spell outside of legal marriage except those that preceded marriage | partnership history module in individual questionnaire | w_cohabno, w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| MARRIAGE | a record for each reported legal marriage – from PARTNERSHIPHISTORY module | partnership history module in individual questionnaire | w_marno, w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| NATCHILD | a record for each biological child | fertility history module in individual questionnaire | w_childno, w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| NEWBORN | a record for each child born since previous interview | newborn module in individual questionnaire | w_childno, w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| Sample information | |||
| INDSAMP | a file with every person enumerated at the current or previous wave | if a household has split then there are two observations for each person: one with the identification number (w_hidp) for the original household and the individual interview outcome (w_ivfio) indicating that the individual has moved, and one with the individual interview outcome and identification number for the new household | w_hidp, w_pno, pidp |
| ISSUE | households issued to the interviewers | fieldwork information | w_hidp, w_issue |
| HHSAMP | all sampled addresses, includes experimental allocations (variables with prefix “w_ff_”) | sampling information, response status, non-respondent household characteristics | w_hidp |
| Paradata, Information about the collection of data | |||
| CALLREC | a record for each visit made by interviewers to attempt to interview the household | information about date, time and status of each visit | w_hidp, w_issueno, w_int_num, w_callno |
| PTIMINGS^ | respondents to individual adult questionnaire | amount of time for individual interview modules; for web interviews (waves 5, 6) the timings are per screen | pidp |
| HTIMINGS^ | households who responded to household questionnaire | amount of time for household interviews | w_hidp |
* “w_” is a placeholder for the wave prefix (“a_” for wave 1, “b_” for wave 2, etc.)
^ From wave 7 onwards timing data are released in CSV due to the variable naming structure. See below.
