Aging Data: The National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging

Abstract

The creation and maintenance of sustainable data archives can be challenging but it offers clear advantages for a national and international research strategy. Data that is preserved can be used by multiple researchers, testing various hypotheses, and increasing the return on investment to the expensive data collection process. Having an internally managed archival system also provides greater control and autonomy in the equitable distribution of data resources. This workshop, sponsored by IAFOR and the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) will offer hands-on examples of how to discover data resources, obtain them, and then implement them as part of a research strategy. Regardless of whether you are a student looking for a thesis topic, an instructor looking for research material to use in classroom teaching, or an established researcher, the wealth of publicly available data creates almost unlimited opportunities to explore new themes and collaborate with researchers worldwide. NACDA has existed for over 40 years and freely distributes over 1,500 studies on the life course and health, representing one of the world’s largest research data collections. The workshop introduces you to NACDA and our worldwide partners. All researchers attending IAFOR Conferences are welcome to participate, ask questions, and learn about data resources you can use for research, classroom instruction, or in developing a research paper or thesis for your college classes. Our instructors will help you access the wealth of information at your fingertips.