Data management syntax files

The syntax files below show you how to perform some common data management tasks, e.g., merging two files, matching information of respondent and their partner etc, using Understanding Society data files.

Common commands

Commonly-used commands to work with data.

Stata

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Merging individual files across waves into wide format

To match individual level files across two waves into a wide format, do the following (for more waves add wave specific prefix in the foreach statement)

Stata

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Merging individual files across waves into long format

To match individual level files across two waves into a long format, do the following (for more waves add wave specific prefix in the foreach statement)

Stata

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Distributing household level information to the individual level

In this example we will distribute household level information to individuals in those households. We can do this by merging household level file (such as w_hhresp) with an individual level file (such as w_indresp) within the same Wave.

Stata SPSS SAS R

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Summarising individual level information at the household level

In this example we will summarise individual level information within a household (number of 18-24-year-olds in the household) from an individual level file and then add it to the household level file.

Stata SPSS SAS R

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Matching individuals within a household

In this example we will match the information of respondents living with partners/spouses with that of their partners/spouses.

Stata SPSS SAS R

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Using the egoalt file to create household composition variables

In this example we will create a variable that measures the number of siblings in the household using the egoalt file. The resulting file can be merged with any individual level file.

Stata SAS R

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Merging individual files from harmonised bhps and ukhls in long format

To match individual level files from the harmonised BHPS and Understanding Society in long format, you need to remove the wave prefixes in the two sets of files and generate a wave identifier that works across both sets of files. The pidp will work as the unique cross-wave identifier across both sets of files. This code only keeps individuals who took part in BHPS and drops those who joined as part of Understanding Society.

Stata

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Matching co-resident parents’ information

This syntax is for creating a data file of respondents (of any age) with information about their co-resident parents matched to them.

Stata