NLSY97

User’s Guide

  

A Guide to the Rounds 1-9 Data

National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997

  

Prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor by

 

Center for Human Resource Research

The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

2007

 

This publication is prepared under contract #J-9-J-3-0004 with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

 


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Table of Contents

Chapter 1:  Introduction

1.1  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97)

1.2  The NLS

1.3  NLSY97 Sample

1.4  Content of the NLSY97

1.5  NLSY97 Data Releases

1.6  Organization of This Guide

Chapter 2:  Sample Design & Fielding Procedures

2.1  Sample Design & Screening Process

2.2  Interview Methods

2.3  Sample Size & Composition

2.4  Retention and Reasons for Noninterview

2.5  Sample Weights & Design Effects

2.6  Confidentiality & Informed Consent

Chapter 3:  Guide to the NLSY97 Data

3.1  Survey Instruments & Other Documentation

3.2  Types of Variables: Raw, Symbols, Rosters, and Constructed

3.3  NLSY97 Documentation

3.4  NLS Investigator

Chapter 4:  Topical Guide to the NLSY97

4.1 Aptitude, Achievement & Intelligence Scores

4.1.1 Achievement Tests

4.1.2 Administration of the CAT-ASVAB

4.1.3 PIAT Math Test

4.2 Education

4.2.1  College Experience

4.2.2  Educational Status & Attainment

4.2.3  School-Based Learning Programs

4.2.4  School Experience

4.2.5  School & Transcript Surveys

4.3  Employment

4.3.1  Employers & Jobs

4.3.2  Fringe Benefits

4.3.3  Gaps in Employment

4.3.4  Industry

4.3.5  Job Search

4.3.6  Labor Force Status

4.3.7  Occupation

4.3.8  Self-Employment Characteristics

4.3.9  Tenure

4.3.10  Time Spent at Work

4.3.11  Wages

4.3.12  Work Experience

4.4  Event History

4.4.1  Employment

4.4.2  Marital Status

4.4.3  Program Participation

4.4.4  Schooling

4.5  Expectations, Attitudes, Behaviors & Time Use

4.5.1  Alcohol Use

4.5.2  Attitudes

4.5.3  Autonomy & Parental Control

4.5.4  Cigarette Use

4.5.5  Crime, Delinquency & Arrest

4.5.6  Drug Use

4.5.7  Expectations

4.5.8  Sexual Activity & Dating

4.5.9  Time Use

4.6  Family Background & Demographic Characteristics

4.6.1  Age of Respondent

4.6.2  Gender

4.6.3  Geographic Indicators

4.6.4  Household & Neighborhood Environment

4.6.5  Household Composition

4.6.6  Nonresident Characteristics

4.6.7  Parent Characteristics

4.6.8  Race & Ethnicity

4.6.9  Youth History

4.7  Health

4.8  Income, Program Participation & Assets

4.8.1  Assets & Debts

4.8.2  Income

4.8.3  Program Participation

4.9  Marital History & Fertility

4.9.1 Child Care

4.9.2  Fertility, Pregnancy & Children

4.9.3  Marital & Marriage-Like Relationships

4.10  Training

Chapter 5: Methodological Issues

5.1  Item Nonresponse

5.2  Interview Validation

5.3  Interviewer Remarks

Appendices

Appendix A: Quick Reference Guide

A.1 Guide to NLS Documentation

A.2 How to Get Help

Appendix B: Selected NLSY97 Variables by Survey Round

Appendix C: NLSY97 Glossary of Terms

C.1 NLS Survey Terms

C.2 Terms Used in NLSY97 Interviews

 

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List of Tables and Figures

1.2 Table 1.  The NLS:  Survey Groups, Sample Sizes, Interview Years & Status

1.3 Table 1.  NLSY97 Sample Sizes by Subsample, Race/Ethnicity & Gender

1.3 Table 2. Round 1 Distribution of NLSY97 Respondents by Household Type

1.4 Table 1.  Content of the Youth Questionnaire

1.4 Table 2.  Content of the Parent Questionnaire

1.5 Table 1.  Data Releases

2.1 Figure 1.  Selection of NLSY97 Respondents

2.1 Table 1.  NLSY97 Round 1 Interview Completion

2.1 Table 2.  NLSY97 Sampling Status of Youths by Housing Arrangement

2.1 Table 3.  Round 1 Distribution of NLSY97 Sibling Groups

2.2 Table 1.  NLSY97 Sample Sizes, Retention Rates, and Fielding Periods

2.2 Figure 1.  Priority for Choosing Responding Parent

2.2 Table 2.  NLSY97 Youths by Age and Parent Interview Availability

2.2 Table 3.  NLSY97 Interview Mode

2.3 Table 1.  Racial, Ethnic & Gender Composition of NLSY97 Sample

2.4 Table 1.  Retention Rates by Sample Type and Gender

2.4 Table 2.  Reason for Noninterview by Gender

2.4 Table 3.  Reason for Noninterview by Sample Type

2.4 Table 4.  Reason for Noninterview by Race/Ethnicity

2.5 Figure 1.  Sampling Weight Variable for All Rounds

2.6 Figure 1.  Sample NLSY97 Advance Letter

2.6 Figure 2.  Privacy and Disclosure Statement Used in the NLSY97

3.1 Table 1.  Sample Question Names by Youth Questionnaire Section

3.1 Table 2.  Sample Question Names in Screener and Parent Questionnaires

3.2 Figure 1.  Sample PAPI Roster Grid

3.2 Figure 2.  Example:  Variables in CAPI-Generated School Roster for Round 2

3.2 Figure 3.  How Rosters Are Created

3.2 Figure 4.  Rosters Included Each Round

3.3 Figure 1.  NLSY97 Questionnaire Item Codeblock

3.3 Figure 2.  NLSY97 Created Variable Codeblock

3.4 Figure 1.  NLS Web Investigator Search Screen

3.4 Figure 2.  Using Filters in NLS Web Investigator

3.4 Figure 3.  NLSY97 Areas of Interest

4.1 Table 1.  Aptitude, Achievement & Intelligence Scores Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.1.2 Figure 1.  Contents of the CAT-ASVAB

4.2 Table 1.  Education Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.2 Figure 1.  Round 1 Schooling Section

4.2 Figure 2.  Rounds 2–9 Schooling Section

4.2 Table 2.  School Numbers in the NEWSCHOOL Roster

4.2.3 Table 1.  Definitions of School-Based Learning Programs

4.2.5 Table 1.  Transcript Survey Status by Respondent

4.3 Table 1.  Employment Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.3 Figure 1.  Rounds 1–3 Employment Flowchart

4.3 Figure 2.  Rounds 4–5 Employment Flowchart

4.3 Figure 3.  Rounds 6–9 Employment Flowchart

4.3 Figure 4.  NLSY97 Unique ID Numbers

4.3.2 Figure 1.  Fringe Benefits Available through Employer

4.3.4 Table 1.  Industry of NLSY97 Respondents at Current or Most Recent Employee Job, 2002 Codes

4.3.5 Figure 1.  Possible Job Search Actions

4.3.7 Table 1.  Occupation of NLSY97 Respondents at Current or Most Recent Employee Job

4.3.12 Table 1.  Work Experience Created Variables

4.5 Table 1.  Expectations, Attitudes, Behaviors & Time Use Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.5.1 Table 1.  Age Respondent First Drank Alcohol

4.5.2 Figure 1.  Youth Descriptors of Attitude toward Self

4.5.4 Table 1.  Age Respondent First Smoked a Cigarette

4.5.6 Table 1.  Age Respondent First Used Marijuana

4.5.6 Table 2.  Age Respondent First Used Cocaine/Other Drugs

4.5.7 Table 1.  Topics of Expectations Questions

4.5.8 Table 1.  Age Respondent First Had Sex

4.6 Table 1.  Family Background & Demographic Characteristics Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.6.1 Table 1.  Age of NLSY97 Respondents as of 12/31/96

4.6.1 Table 2.  Age of NLSY97 Respondents as of Interview Date

4.6.1 Table 3.  Comparison of Round 1 Variables KEY!AGE and CV_AGE_INT_DATE

4.6.2 Table 1.  NLSY97 Composition by Gender and Sample Type

4.6.3 Figure 1.  Number of NLSY97 Respondents and States by Census Region

4.6.5 Figure 1.  Definitions of Relationships in Household Roster

4.6.5 Figure 2.  Creation of Round 1 Rosters Based on Screener Data

4.6.5 Table 1.  Example Structure of the Round 1 HHI2 Relationship Data

4.6.5 Table 2.  Round 1 ID Variables for Key Relatives of NLSY97 Respondents

4.6.5 Table 3.  Examples of UID Codes

4.6.6 Table 1.  Data Collected for Nonresident Relatives in Round 1

4.6.7 Figure 1.  Assets Held by the Responding Parent

4.7 Table 1.  Health Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.7 Table 2.  Knowledge about Pregnancy and STDs (Youths Born in 1983)

4.8 Table 1.  Income, Program Participation & Assets Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.8 Figure 1.  NLSY97 Independence Criteria

4.8.1 Figure 1.  NLSY97 Asset and Debt Categories

4.8.3 Figure 1.  Government Assistance Programs

4.8.3 Table 1.  Created Program Participation Summary Variables

4.9 Table 1.  Marital History & Fertility Subtopics and Universe Restrictions

4.9.3 Table 1.  Number of Respondents Ever Married or Never Married and Cohabiting

5.1 Figure 1.  NLSY97 Questionnaire Item Codeblock with Nonresponse Highlighted

A.1 Table 1.  List of NLS Documentation


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