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National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97)

Errata for NLSY97 Round 15 Release

Important information: Errata updates in NLS Investigator

The NLS Investigator contains the most recent public release of each NLS cohort. Corrections have been made based on the items listed below (unless otherwise noted). These older, corrected error notices are retained for archival purposes, such as enabling replication of research performed before the errors were discovered. Please contact NLS User Services for additional information. Note: Any Geocode-related errata corrections have been made to the restricted-use data file. See the Accessing Data / Cohort page for more information on utilizing restricted-use data.

Newest errata

Updated Employer UIDs in the Event History Status Arrays

Posted 8/20/2015

A discrepancy was found between the Employer UIDs in the YEMP_UID variables and the event history variables (EMP_STATUS and EMP_DUAL) for a limited number of NLSY97 respondents. The variables are listed below.

  • 1 case for questions EMP_STATUS_2001.43 to EMP_STATUS_2001.46, EMP_DUAL_2_2001.47, and EMP_DUAL_3_2001.48 to EMP_DUAL_3_2001.51
  • 1 case for questions EMP_STATUS_1999.20 to EMP_STATUS_1999.23 and EMP_STATUS_1999.25 to EMP_STATUS_1999.34
  • 1 case for questions EMP_STATUS_2000.02 to EMP_STATUS_2000.03
  • 1 case for questions EMP_STATUS_1996.49
  • 1 case for questions EMP_STATUS_1996.22 to EMP_STATUS_1996.26

Previously posted errata

Note: All errata listed below have been resolved with the 2/24/2015 data release.

Updated information now available for survey design variables to correct for clustering of sample

POSTED 10/6/2014

Document update: The revised Calculating Design-Corrected Standard Errors for the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 is now available. The document, which replaces the draft version previous posted in this Errata section, provides details about two survey design variables (listed below) that correct for sample clustering.

R14897.00 [VSTRAT], VARIANCE STRATUM
Variable for use with variance PSU to correct for clustering in the sample design. The stratum reflects the first-stage units for the initial sampling of NLSY97 respondents. This variable should be used in conjunction with VPSU.

R14898.00 [VPSU], VARIANCE PSU
Variable for use with variance stratum to correct for clustering in the sample design. The VPSU reflects the second-stage units for the initial sampling of NLSY97 respondents. There are two second-stage units (VPSU) for each first-stage unit (VSTRAT). This variable should be used in conjunction with VSTRAT.

Recently created arrest and incarceration variables: Rounds 14 and 15

POSTED 9/8/2014

The arrest and incarceration variables have been recently updated to include survey information from round 14 and round 15; these arrays and created variables have been added to the current NLSY97 data releases.

Documentation correction for school roster variables: Rounds 8 and 9

POSTED 8/8/2014

For the following variables in rounds 8 and 9, the value label for Category 6 on the codebook listing should be changed from "No Information" to "Graduate School, Law School, or Medical School."

  • S5089900 2004 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 01 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S5090000 2004 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 02 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S5090100 2004 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 03 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S5090200 2004 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 04 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S5090300 2004 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 05 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S6837700 2005 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 01 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S6837800 2005 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 02 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S6837900 2005 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 03 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)
  • S6838000 2005 NEWSCHOOL, SCHOOL CODE 04 ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH COLLEGE (ROS ITEM)

Work Schedule variables

POSTED 7/29/2014

The following work schedule variables were inadvertently omitted from the NLSY97 Round 15 data release:

  • T81157.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.01 | HHI, HH MEMBER 01 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81158.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.02 | HHI, HH MEMBER 02 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81159.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.03 | HHI, HH MEMBER 03 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81160.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.04 | HHI, HH MEMBER 04 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81161.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.05 | HHI, HH MEMBER 05 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81162.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.06 | HHI, HH MEMBER 06 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81163.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.07 | HHI, HH MEMBER 07 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81164.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.08 | HHI, HH MEMBER 08 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81165.00 HHI_WKSCHEDNOT.10 | HHI, HH MEMBER 10 WORK SCHEDULE NOTICE (ROS ITEM)
  • T81167.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.01 | HHI, HH MEMBER 01 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81168.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.02 | HHI, HH MEMBER 02 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81169.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.03 | HHI, HH MEMBER 03 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81170.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.04 | HHI, HH MEMBER 04 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81171.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.05 | HHI, HH MEMBER 05 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81172.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.06 | HHI, HH MEMBER 06 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81173.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.07 | HHI, HH MEMBER 07 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81174.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.08 | HHI, HH MEMBER 08 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)
  • T81175.00 HHI_WKSCHEDDEC.10 | HHI, HH MEMBER 10 WORK SCHEDULE DECISION (ROS ITEM)

Other errata

Education data: Rounds 2-4, 6-15

An on-going review of education data in the NLSY97 has uncovered a few data discrepancies across various NLSY97 rounds. Users working with these data are encouraged to make corrections to the data. The following list contains the variables and number of affected respondents:

  • Round 2:
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.02 - 1
  • Round 3:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.0 - 4
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 2
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.03 - 1
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.01 - 1
  • Round 4:
    • All variables in loop 4 of college-specific questions in the schooling section for 1 case.
    • All variables in loop 3 of college-specific questions in the schooling section for 2 cases.
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01  - 2
  • Round 6:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 5
    • All variables for loops 2 and 3 of college-specific questions in the schooling section for 1 case.
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.03 - 1
  • Round 7:
    • All variables for loop 2 of college-specific questions in the schooling section for 2 cases.
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 2
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 1
  • Round 8:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 1
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 1
  • Round 9:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 1
  • Round 10:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 1
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 2
    • All variables in loop 1 and loop 2 of college-specific questions in the schooling section for 1 case.
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 1
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.01 - 2
  • Round 11:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 2
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 2
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.02 - 1
  • Round 12:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 2
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 1
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.01 - 2
  • Round 13:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.03 - 1
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 2
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.02 - 1
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.01 - 1
  • Round 14:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 4
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.01 - 1
  • Round 15:
    • NEWSCHOOL_PUBID.01 - 2
    • CV_COLLEGE_TYPE.01 - 1

Significant changes made between the July 2012 round 14 and the July 2013 round 15 data files:

Household resident variables: Rounds 2-6

The following variables had been inadvertently omitted from previous releases and are now included in the public release. These variables, for rounds 2 through 6, include the month and year that a newly reported household resident first started living with the respondent.

  • R1569601 1998 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 01?
  • R1569701 1998 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 02?
  • R1569801 1998 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 03?
  • R1569901 1998 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 04?
  • R1570001 1998 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 05?
  • R2849801 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 01?
  • R2849901 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 02?
  • R2850001 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 03?
  • R2850101 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 04?
  • R2850201 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 05?
  • R2850301 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 06?
  • R2850401 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 08?
  • R2850501 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 09?
  • R2850601 1999 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 10?
  • R4123901 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 01?
  • R4124001 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 02?
  • R4124101 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 03?
  • R4124201 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 04?
  • R4124301 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 05?
  • R4124401 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 06?
  • R4124501 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 07?
  • R4124601 2000 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 08?
  • R5802701 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 01?
  • R5802801 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 02?
  • R5802901 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 03?
  • R5803001 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 04?
  • R5803101 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 05?
  • R5803201 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 06?
  • R5803301 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 07?
  • R5803401 2001 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 08?
  • S0173501 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 01?
  • S0173601 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 02?
  • S0173701 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 03?
  • S0173801 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 04?
  • S0173901 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 05?
  • S0174001 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 06?
  • S0174101 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 07?
  • S0174201 2002 WHAT MONTH/YEAR DID R 1ST LIVE WITH THE NEW HH MEMBER 08?

Created education variables: Rounds 4-14

We continue to conduct checks on the consistencies among the created education variables and across different survey years. When inconsistencies were found, we incorporated the information collected from all rounds to arrive at the created variables. These checks resulted in the following hand edits for the created variables listed below:

  • Round 4:
    • CV_BA_DEGREE - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0001 - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 1
  • Round 5:
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT_EDT - 1
    • CV_HGC_0102 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0102 - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HS_DIPLOMA - 1
  • Round 6:
    • CV_BA_DEGREE - 1
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT_EDT - 4
    • CV_GED - 1
    • CV_HGC_0203 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0203 - 3
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 4
    • CV_HS_DIPLOMA - 2
  • Round 7:
    • CV_BA_DEGREE - 3
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT_EDT - 4
    • CV_GED - 1
    • CV_HGC_0304 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0304 - 4
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 4
    • CV_HS_DIPLOMA - 1
  • Round 8:
    • CV_BA_DEGREE - 4
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT_EDT - 4
    • CV_GED - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0405 - 4
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 4
    • CV_HS_DIPLOMA - 1
  • Round 9:
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT - 4
    • CV_HGC_0506 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0506 - 6
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 6
  • Round 10:
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT - 5
    • CV_HGC_0607 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0607 - 7
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 7
  • Round 11:
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT - 5
    • CV_HGC_0708 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0708 - 7
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 8
  • Round 12:
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT - 5
    • CV_HGC_0809 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0809 - 6
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 7
  • Round 13:
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT - 8
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 1
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_0910 - 10
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 10
  • Round 14:
    • CV_ENROLLSTAT - 16
    • CV_HGC_1011 - 1
    • CV_HGC_EVER_EDT - 4
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_1011 - 12
    • CV_HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER_EDT - 12

Created unemployment variables: Round 8

Because a small error was found in the created unemployment variables for two respondents, the values for UNEMP_START_MONTH_2004.01, UNEMP_STOP_MONTH_2004.01, and UNEMP_EDIT_DATE_2004.01 were deleted for those cases.

Created income variables: Rounds 8-13

A small error was found in the program that calculates the total family income variable (CV_INCOME_FAMILY); negative business values were not calculated properly.

  • Round 8:
    • CV_INCOME_FAMILY - 2
    • CV_HH_POV_RATIO - 2
  • Round 10:
    • CV_INCOME_FAMILY - 1
    • CV_HH_POV_RATIO - 1
  • Round 11:
    • CV_INCOME_FAMILY - 3
    • CV_HH_POV_RATIO - 3
  • Round 12:
    • CV_INCOME_FAMILY - 1
    • CV_HH_POV_RATIO - 1
  • Round 13:
    • CV_INCOME_FAMILY - 5
    • CV_HH_POV_RATIO - 5

Created marriage and cohabitation variables: Rounds 5-14

Due to additional information (marriage data and divorce data) gathered during the round 14 marriage section, a number of updates were made to created marriage, cohabitation variables and event history variables. The variables (question names), round and number of affected respondents are below:

Question Name

 R3 R4 R6 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14

CV_COHAB_TTL

         1 1    

CV_FIRST_MARRY_DATE~M

 1 1 1 2 5      

CV_FIRST_MARRY_DATE~Y

 1 1 1 2 5      

CV_FIRST_MARRY_MONTH

 1 1 1 2 5      

CV_FIRST_COHAB_DATE~M

                

CV_FIRST_COHAB_DATE~Y

                

CV_FIRST_CONHAB_MONTH

                

CV_MARRIAGES_TTL

 1 1 1 2 5 4 4  

CV_MARSTAT

 1 1 1 2 6 5 7 12

CV_MARSTAT_COLLAPSED

 1 1 1 2 6 5 7 12

Created child birth date/residence variables: Round 14

Data from the current round led to updated information on the children of respondents. The variables and number of affected respondents are the following:

  • CV_BIO_CHILD_HH - 1
  • CV_BIO_CHILD_NR - 2
  • CV_CHILD_BIRTH_DATE.02~M - 1
  • CV_CHILD_BIRTH_DATE.02~Y - 1
  • CV_CHILD_BIRTH_MONTH.02 - 1
  • CV_CHILD_STATUS.02 - 1
  • CV_CHILD_BIRTH_DATE.06~M - 1
  • CV_CHILD_BIRTH_MONTH.06 - 1
  • CV_CHILD_STATUS.06 - 1
  • CV_CHILD_DEATH_DATE.01~M - 2
  • CV_CHILD_DEATH_DATE.01~Y - 2
  • CV_CHILD_DEATH_MONTH.01 - 2
  • CV_CHILD_DEATH_DATE.02~M - 1
  • CV_CHILD_DEATH_DATE.02~Y - 1
  • CV_CHILD_DEATH_MONTH.02 - 1