Social Science Research Assistant how-to

How to Clean a Survey Dataset

Clean data gives trustworthy results.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Quick answer

Clean data gives trustworthy results. In short: back; remove; check, then complete the remaining steps below.

Step by step

  1. Back up raw data.

  2. Remove test responses.

  3. Check for duplicates.

  4. Recode variables.

  5. Handle missing values.

  6. Document changes.

Safety reminders for social science research assistants

  • Protect participant data
  • Follow IRB protocols
  • Store data securely
  • Report problems to the PI

Qualitative research · Quantitative research · Sample · IRB · Literature review · PI: see the full social science research assistant glossary.

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