Table of Contents

This manual informs the user on how to use the NLS Investigator software.
Click on one of the links below to see the User Manual documentation for that topic.

1.0 Introduction & 2.0 Getting Started
A brief overview of the NLS Investigator software, its supporting documents, and the organization of this manual. "Getting Started" includes the steps that must first be accomplished to access the data.

The following topics are organized according to the buttons and links that appear at the top of NLS Investigator page.

3.0 Web Investigator button
Opens the Investigator to a data-access screen where a cohort must first be selected. Displays the starting point for Cohort selection (new session) or, if a cohort is already selected, goes to the beginning page for variable selection within the cohort.

• 3.1 Accessing Variables
• 3.2 Starting Point
• 3.3 Adding a Filter - Selecting from Indices
• 3.4 Sorting Variables
• 3.5 Using Tagged Variables
• 3.6 Extract Tagged Variables
• 3.7 Run a Frequency or Table
• 3.8 Codebook

4.0 Custom Weights button
Displays the starting point for Cohort selection (new session) or, if a cohort is already selected, goes to the beginning page for selection of cross-sectional weights that are Survey Round specific for the selected cohort.

5.0 Documentation button
Displays links and online documents to NLS Survey information. The links connect to general information about the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS), their products, and the online NLS Bibliography. The online documents categorize cohort specific information such as the User's Guide to data, questionnaires, codebooks, and other supplementary information.

6.0 Support & Contacts button
Displays contact information for traditional mail inquiries, email inquiries, telephonic help and inquiries, and provides an instant message service to NLS User Services.

7.0 My Account button
Opens the account login page. From here the user may login or create a new account. Once logged in the user may modify account information; retrieve and save extracted variables, retrieve and save custom weights, delete unwanted files, view and save frequency tables, and quickly access the extract or frequency table functions. .

Getting Started link
Opens a page of the NLS Web-Investigator where brief descriptions of Investigor functions and quick links to them appear.

User Manual link
Opens this manual to this page: the Table of Contents.

Login (Logout) link
Opens the Member Login Form so the user can login. Or, if logged in (Logout link), logs the user out of the current session. (same as Restart).

Restart link
Logs the user out of the current session.