Information about the 2004 GSS Data File and Codebook (Healey & Prus)
The Census and GSS are conducted by Statistics Canada. The GSS is a public-opinion
poll that has been conducted annually since 1985 on representative samples of Canadians
aged 15 years and older living in private households in the 10 provinces. The content and
focus of the survey change each year. The 2004 GSS contains items on the nature and extent
of criminal victimization in Canada, as well as demographic and background characteristics
of the respondents.
The variable names used in the data set are listed in the left hand column with variable
position in the next column followed by the variable label, level of measurement and the codes
used for missing data. The last column has an asterisk for the variables that could be suitable
as dependent variables. Be careful how you phrase your three hypotheses and use the same
dependent variable for each one.
When a variable is in numerical (or interval-ratio) format, the codes are the actual
number answers given by the respondent (i.e. What is your age in years?... 25 ) There are
also codes for "missing data" (when a respondent does not or cannot answer a question. The
codes usually represent NAP (not applicable), DK (respondent does not know), and NA
(respondent refused to answer). In a statistical analysis, missing data is typically excluded
from the statistical operation by SPSS.
Appendix G in your text will show you how each variable is coded and gives you a
fuller description of the variables and the data set.
Levels of Measurement
Variables have three basic "levels of measurement" that influences how they are treated in a
statistical analysis. They are:
Nominal:
Nominal level variables are qualitative variables whose categories are in the form of WORDS.
Examples are "sex" (male or female) and "marital status" (married, single, widowed,
divorced, separated.) With these variables, no mathematical operations are possible with the
exception of counting or percentaging the number of cases in each category.
Ordinal:
Ordinal level variables have ORDERED categories that can be stated in either words or
grouped numerical ranges. Examples might be "social class" (lower, working, middle, upper)
or "age range" (less than 20 years, 21-40 years, 41-60 years, 61-80 years, 81 and over.)
Possible mathematical operations include counting and percentaging, in addition to < (less
than), = (equal to) and > (greater than.)
Interval-Ratio
Interval-ratio variables are true quantitative variables whose answer categories are in the
form of NUMBERS. All mathematical operations are possible with these variables. Examples
are "income" (in actual dollar amounts) and age (in actual years.)
List of variables in the 2004 GSS data set (see AppendixG for more)
Suitable as
Variable
acmyr
actlimit
agegr5
discrim
drr_q110
drr_q120
dwelc
dwellown
edu10
famtype
hal_q120
Position
Label
1
2
Main activity in past
year
Long-term health
problem limits activity
3 Age group (in years)
4
5
6
Victim of discrimination
in past 5 yrs
Past month how often
you drink alcohol
# times you had 5+
drinks past month
7 Dwelling type
8
9
10
11
Dwelling owned by
hhld member
Highest level of
education: 10 grps
Type of family
structure
Any difficulty
hear/see/walking/etc.
Measurement
Missing
Dependent
Level
Values
Variable
Nominal
Nominal
*
Ordinal
Nominal
*
Ordinal
Scale
97
*
Nominal
Nominal
*
Ordinal
Nominal
Ordinal
hlthstat
12 State of health
Ordinal
*
hsdsizec
13 Household size
Scale
*
incm
incmhsd
lanhsdc
lifevict
live_neigh
14
15
Annual personal
income
Total household
income
16 Household language
17
18
Ever been a victim of
crime
How long lived in
current neighbourhood
Ordinal
98, 99
*
Ordinal
98, 99
*
Nominal
Nominal
Ordinal
*
luc_rst
19 Urban/Rural indicator
Nominal
marstat
20 Marital status
Nominal
med_depress
msvic
21
22
numevact_c
Take medication for
depression
Most serious
victimization in past yr
Nominal
Nominal
Average number of
23
evening activities
respondent goes out
Scale
*
for in a month.
phr_q110
Your neighbourhood
24 has __ crime than
Ordinal
other
phr_q120
Past 5 yrs your
25 neighbourhood crime
Ordinal
has:
phr_q130
phr_q190
phr_q230
phr_q250
phr_q260
phr_q320
phr_q330
phr_q340
phr_q400
phr_q410
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
You walking alone at
night in your area
Home alone at night
you feel:
Local police are
approachable
Local police good at
ensuring safety
Local police treat
people fairly
Criminal courts help
victims
Criminal courts good at
sentencing
Criminal courts ensure
a fair trial
Court sentences are
too severe
Prison system at
controlling prisoners
Ordinal
*
Ordinal
*
Ordinal
Ordinal
Ordinal
Ordinal
Ordinal
Ordinal
Ordinal
Ordinal
phr_q420
36
phr_q510
Prison system at
reforming prisoners
Ordinal
Prison system
37 releasing safe
Ordinal
offenders
phr_q520
phr_q990
38
39
Prison system at
parolling offenders
Satisfied with your
personal safety
Ordinal
Ordinal
prv
40 Province of residence
relig6
41 Religion (6 categories) Nominal
rl_q105
sex
stalking
vismin
wght_per
wkwehr_c
yrarri
Variables in the working file
42
Importance of your
religious beliefs
43 Sex
44
Respondent reported
stalking incident
Nominal
Ordinal
Nominal
Nominal
45 Visible minority status Nominal
46
47
48
Person Weight
(adjusted)
# of hours usually
worked per week
Yr you came to live
permanent in Cda
Scale
Scale
Ordinal
*