As part of this year's SLLS conference, CLOSER's Head of Education and Training, Dr Neil Kaye has convened an insightful workshop on accessing, preparing and analysing 'real-world' study data.
About the workshop
New to longitudinal data and don’t know where to start? Not sure how to clean and prepare datasets for your research? Curious about tips and best practices for managing and analysing large-scale secondary data?
This half-day workshop is designed to introduce you to the essentials of secondary data analysis. You’ll learn how to clean and prepare datasets, and how to effectively use, report, and interpret outputs of analysis, with a focus on longitudinal cohort study data.
The UK is home to some of the world’s largest and longest-running longitudinal population studies, and this workshop will guide you in leveraging these rich data sources for your research in social sciences, epidemiology, and health studies.
The workshop begins by demonstrating how to find datasets relevant to your research, followed by a step-by-step guide on downloading datasets, merging files and transforming data for analysis. You’ll discover best practices for preparing and cleaning data, using syntax, and file management to facilitate reproducibility and tackle common challenges in longitudinal research. The workshop involves a combination of interactive lectures and hands-on exercises using examples from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) to guide you through the whole process of getting started with real-world study data. In the workshop, you’ll gain practical experience in accessing and downloading secondary datasets, preparing data for analysis, running basic analysis in Stata, and exporting outputs into Microsoft programs.
By the conclusion of the workshop, you’ll have acquired practical skills in working with real-world longitudinal data, from accessing datasets to conducting basic analyses and reporting results. You’ll be equipped with the knowledge needed to confidently use data from longitudinal population studies and integrate outputs into your dissertations, research papers, and publications. Prior experience with Stata and a foundational understanding of statistical techniques are recommended.
Register for the workshop
To register for this workshop, please visit the SLLS post-conference workshop webpage.
About the SLLS conference
The 14th annual conference of the Society for Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies will explore the complex dynamics between policies and life course transitions and patterns. It will explore the multifaceted impact of social, family, occupational, healthcare, economic and environmental policies on the lives of individuals.
Key areas of inquiry may include the effectiveness of pension systems, workplace policies and practices, equitable access to healthcare, suitable housing provisions, robust social services, and the central roles of governments and organisations in cultivating supportive environments for populations.
The main conference will run from Monday 8th – Wednesday 10th September 2025 with all post-conference workshops taking place on Thursday 11th September 2025.
The conference will be an in-person event, hosted by the #PopHealthLab team at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
For more information about the conference, including the full programme and how to register, please visit the SLLS conference website.