Introduction to the American Community Survey

Introduction to the American Community Survey

At the PAA 2009 Annual Meeting in Detroit, the PAA’s Committee on Population Statistics (COPS) sponsored a specially designed workshop to introduce the ACS to the PAA membership.  The workshop was conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey Office (ACS). Demographers who in the past have used the census long-form data files (e.g., SF3 & SF4) for research, and those who plan to do such research following the 2010 Census need to thoroughly understand the ACS, as this survey will provide the long-form replacement data files beginning in 2010. Reminder: There will be no long-form sample survey carried out as part of the 2010 Census. Those who use data from complex surveys, although not necessarily decennial census data, will also benefit from the workshop presentations (links below).

The workshop included an overview of the ACS design and data products. In addition, case studies representing demographic research applications (highlighting fresh opportunities and new cautions) were included. Examples utilizing both summary tabulations and microdata records illustrated important lessons about accessing, using, and interpreting ACS data.

Click on the links below to view the agenda and presentations:

Workshop Agenda

American Community Survey Fundamentals

Case Study 1 - How to Deal with Estimates with Low Relability

Case Study 2 - Choosing between ACS 1-, 3-, and 5-Year Estimates

Case Study 3 - Making Comparisons

Case Study 4 - Forthcoming

Case Study 5 - Introduction to Demographic Research Using Aggregated ACS Data for Ecological Regression:  Changes in County Poverty


 

 
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