The NLS Investigator contains the most recent release of each NLS cohort. Known problems with the current release of the NLSY79 are found below. Corrections have been made to items noted in the Errata of prior releases. For further questions, please contact NLS User Services.
Data Errors
1) Errors in 1998 Total Net Family Income and Poverty Status Variables
Replacement for R64787. (TOTAL NET FAMILY INCOME IN 1997 1998)
Replacement for R64788. (FAMILY POVERTY STATUS IN 1997 1998)
R18 - NLSY79
The Total Net Family Income in 1997, released for the 1998 survey (TNFI98) contained a programming error. This error affected TNFI98 for roughly 890 people, and Family Poverty Status in 1997 for roughly 360.
In computing Total Net Family Income in 1997 (TNFI98), a consolidated yearly amount was used for each type of program receipt. In contrast, computations of TNFI for previous rounds used a weekly or monthly receipt amount, along with a multiplier by number of weeks or months received during the calendar year. Although the yearly amounts were incorporated into the TNFI98 program, the multipliers for the number of weeks/months received were not taken out. Therefore, the TNFI98 for many of those receiving unemployment, AFDC/TANF, Food Stamps or SSI is inflated to varying degrees.
The incorrect variables are present on both the current All-Cohort CD and the NLSY79 Geocode CD. They will be corrected on the next All-Cohort CD (due in Fall 2005) and NLSY79 Geocode CD (due in Spring 2006).
2) Missing Occupation, Industry and Class of Worker in 1994 data items
The occupation, industry and class of worker information for 353 CPS employers were not collected during the 1994 interview. These CPS employers were either less than 9 weeks in duration since the last interview, or were employers for whom the respondent worked less than 10 hours per week. They were erroneously treated as other non-CPS employers with those characteristics, for which occupation, industry and class of worker information is not collected. For those employers that were also reported in the previous survey year, and for which the respondent confirmed that his/her occupation did not change since the previous survey year, the occupation, industry and class of worker codes from the previous survey year should also apply. Users may also data subsequent survey years in a similar manner to attempt to fill in more of this information.
This error is present on all current NLSY79 data releases.
3) Missing information on Union Affiliation/Collective Bargaining in 1994 data items
Due to an error in the questionnaire, information on union affiliation and collective bargaining on a number of employers was not collected. Respondents reporting a non-self-employed job should have answered these questions. This error affects employer #1 (generally the CPS employer) for 3,210 respondents of the 7141 respondents who should have been asked, employer #2 for 531 of the 2215 respondents who should have been asked, employer #3 for 128 of the 606 who should have been asked, employer #4 for 34 of 168 who should have been asked and employer #5 for 6 of 48 who should have been asked. This is 45% missing for employer #1, 24% missing for employer #2, 21% missing for employer #3, 20% missing for employer #4 and 13% missing for employer #5.
Conversely, information on union affiliation and collective bargaining was collected on a number of self-employed respondents, for whom these questions should not have been asked. This error affects employer #1 for 166 cases, employer #2 for 45 cases, and employers #3, #4 and #5 for 1 case each. This information for self-employed respondents (those with a code of "4" for class of worker) should be disregarded.
This error is present on all current NLSY79 data releases.
4) 2 missing cases in 1994 data items
Due to probable machine glitches, the data from two (2) apparently completed interviews was rendered inaccessible. 1994 variables for cases #5078 and #10524 are missing. Any 1994 data items remaining for these cases is meaningless and should be discarded for purposes of analysis. The 1996 interview period for these cases spanned from the 1993 to the 1996 interview. Information that would have been collected at the 1994 interview is thus now included in the data for the 1996 survey year.
This data error is present on all current NLSY79 data releases.
Documentation
1) 2002 Industry and Occupation Variables Mislabeled
User notes on the following variables incorrectly stated that 1970 codes were used. Updated 2000 Census Industry and Occupational Classification codes were actually used for these variables.
R72091.00 TYPE OF BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #01
R72092.00 TYPE OF BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #02
R72093.00 TYPE OF BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #03
R72094.00 TYPE OF BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #04
R72095.00 TYPE OF BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #05
R72096.00 OCCUPATION (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #01
R72097.00 OCCUPATION (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #02
R72098.00 OCCUPATION (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #03
R72099.00 OCCUPATION (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #04
R72100.00 OCCUPATION (CENSUS 3 DIGIT, 00 CODES)(ALL) JOB #05
These notes will be corrected on the next All-Cohort cd (due in Fall 2005) and NLSY79 Geocode cd (due in Spring 2006).
2) Misspelling in R17744.00 title
The 1985 variable R17744.00 - SOCIALABILITY PERSONALITY TRAIT AT ADULTHOOD - contains a misspelling. The word "SOCIALABILITY" has been changed to "SOCIABILITY".
The corrected title will appear on the next All-Cohort cd (due in Fall 2005) and NLSY79 Geocode cd (due in Spring 2006).