Researching Social and Economic Change

This is a guide to the purposes and potential of one of the most significant national and increasingly international resources for analyzing social change. It explains the possibilities and pitfalls in the analysis of panel study data. In this user-friendly introduction, European and American experts in the field join forces to explain what panel studies can achieve and to illustrate some of the potential pitfalls in the construction and analysis of panel data. Household panel studies provide one of the most significant national and international resources for analysing social and economic change. This is an essential and accessible introduction for those contemplating the use of panel studies for the first time and will be an invaluable resource for both practising researchers and the commissioners of research.