Codebook

Last updated on Nov 3, 2021

Definition: A codebook is a high-level summary that describes the contents, structure, nature and layout of a data set. A well-documented codebook contains information intended to be complete and self-explanatory for each variable in a data file, such as the wording and coding of the item, and the underlying construct. It provides transparency to researchers who may be unfamiliar with the data but wish to reproduce analyses or reuse the data.

Related terms: Data dictionary, Metadata

References: Arslan et al. (2019), & https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/content/shared/ICPSR/faqs/what-is-a-codebook.html

Drafted and Reviewed by: Tina Lonsdorf, Ali H. Al-Hoorie, Ashley Blake, Kai Krautter, Charlotte R. Pennington, FlĂĄvio Azevedo

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