Social Science Data Services
Finding and Managing Data for Research

Data Services > Restricted Data

See also: Responsible Use of Data.

Restricted Data

What is Restricted Data? | Access to ICPSR Restricted Data | Census Research Data Centers | COUHES

What is Restricted Data?

Data archives restrict access to certain data sets and variables in order to ensure confidentiality for study participants. Archives are concerned about respondent confidentiality with regard to either:

• direct identifiers: e.g. name or social security number
• indirect identifiers, items that could be used in conjunction with publicly-available information to identify individual respondents: e.g. detailed geographic information, occupation, or education

Data archives remove or mask direct and key indirect identifiers in the public-use versions of data files. However, some archives, such as ICPSR, may permit researchers to use restricted data files (containing select identifiers) under particular conditions.

Access to ICPSR Restricted Data

ICPSR will consider applications from researchers who wish to utilize restricted data from the archive. See ICPSR's page on restricted data. This application must contain information such as:

• the name of the principal investigator (must be a faculty member, but students may have access to data as Research Staff under the agreement)
• a data protection plan reviewed by departmental technology staff
• confirmation of approval of the research project by the Committee on the Use of Humans as Experimental Subjects (COUHES)
• involvement and the signature of an attorney from the MIT Office of the General Counsel

To begin the process for submitting an application, contact:

MIT Office of the General Counsel
617-452-2082

The application process may be similar for applying for use of restricted data from other archives.

Census Research Data Centers

In addition, researchers can apply for access to unpublished data from the Census Bureau's economic and demographic programs at either:

• Boston Census Research Data Center at the National Bureau of Economic Research; or
• Michigan Census Research Data Center, (note: fees waived for MIT affiliates as members of ICPSR).

Committee on the Use of Humans as Experimental Subjects (COUHES)

COUHES is the MIT office that reviews and approves research involving human subjects. COUHES should be consulted on any such research project utilizing confidential data.

This page was last updated on 01/14/08