                           THE BIRON SYSTEM:
                  THE ESRC's ARCHIVE ONLINE CATALOGUE
                           AND SUBJECT INDEX

TELNET 155.245.10.133
login: biron
Password:norib

                     How does BIRON work?
 
Searches based on topics
 
The BIRON system prompts you to type in a topic for which you are
seeking data.  Your term is matched against a list of several thousand
descriptive terms arranged in associated groups.  If an exact match is
found, you are told how many datasets have been indexed with the
matching term and are offered other associated terms which might assist
in focussing your search.  If no exact match is found, lists of
similarly spelled words are offered for your selection and the process
of matching begins there.  You may list the dataset titles retrieved on
matching your term, or simply save the group which has been retrieved
while you make further selections of topics.  When you have selected all
the topics you require, you have the option to make a combined search
using boolean operators.
 
Searches based on bibliographic and methodological data

You may not be interested in topic-based searches, but may know of a
particular research project for which you require the data; or you may
wish to know what data the Archive has which employs certain research
methodologies.  The BIRON system allows you to type in the names of
persons or organisations associated with particular datasets, titles or
part-titles, dates and geographical areas of data collection, and will
match these with information which we hold about the data.  Similarly,
particular methodologies are recorded and may be used in retrieval.
Spatial units, where relevant, are also included in the databases and
may be used as search terms.
 
Combination topic and bibliographic searches
 
Topic and bibliographic searches may be combined.
 
What information is retrieved from the system?
 
At the end of the search, if the search is successful, you will have, on
screen, a list of one or more dataset titles.  You may then view all the
information which we have recorded about that dataset.  The information
includes a list of indexing terms showing all the topics covered by the
data and a catalogue record giving the Archive number, the title, access
conditions, data processing codes, the names of principal investigators,
data collectors, sponsors and depositors, and an abstract detailing the
main purposes of the research and main variables.  Dates, geographical
areas, populations, data collection methodology are also displayed.
 
             Some ESRC Data Archive Data Holdings
                Catalogued in the BIRON System
 
        Large Scale and Continuous Longitudinal Studies
 
Over three thousand datasets, the Archive's entire holdings, are
recorded in the BIRON system.  These include the following large scale
continuous and longitudinal studies:

     General Household Survey
     Family Expenditure Survey
     Census of Great Britain
     National Readership Survey
     Financial Expectations
     National Child Development Study
     Workplace Industrial Relations Survey
     British Election Studies
     Euro-barometers
     NOP National Political Surveys
     Gallup Political Polls
     Opinion Research Centre Polls
     Mori Political Polls
     National Labour Force Survey
     CSO Macro-Economic Time Series Data Bank
     Juvos Unemployment Statistics
     National Food Survey
     British Social Attitudes Survey
     Agricultural Census
     British Crime Survey
     Vital Statistics for Wards in England and Wales
     National Survey of Countryside Recreation
     New Earnings Survey
     National Health Service Patient Re-registrations
     Public Lending Right Loans Data
     Building Societies Mortgages Survey
     Farm Business Survey
     DTI Company Accounts Data
     Exstat Company Accounts
     Survey of Personal Incomes
 
              Some Topic Covered in the Catalogue
 
Data held in the Archive cover most areas of social and economic life.
They include:
 
Agriculture and Rural Life
Child Development and Child Rearing
Computer Programs, Teaching Packages and Reference Sources
Earth Sciences
Economic Behaviour
Education
Elites and Leadership
Ethnic Minorities, Race Relations and Immigration
Government Structures, National Characteristics and Policies
Health, Health Services and Medical Care
Housing, Environment and Town Planning
Industrial Relations
International Systems, Linkages, Relationships and Events
Language and Linguistics
Management and Organisation Studies
Mass Political Behaviour and Attitudes
Media Studies
Population Studies and Censuses
Plant and Animal Distribution and Conservation
Religion
Social Structure and Social Stratification
Social Welfare: Use and Provision of Social Services
Social Issues and Values

