What are “general” and “detailed” versions of variables?
[return to top] Most variables in the IPUMS have a composite coding structure, where the first digit is largely comparable across samples, and second and subsequent digits provide progressively more detail available in some samples and not others. For some highly requested variables, the composite coding structure is formally recognized in our system by distinguishing separate “general” and “detailed” versions of the variable. For example, researchers can access an internationally comparable 1-digit general version of “employment status”, or they can use the fully detailed 3-digit version, if their research requires finer distinctions. The two sets of codes are completely consistent with one another; one simply provides more categories, while the other is simpler to use and usually more comparable across samples. The variables with general versions have a checkbox in the “general version” column in the data extract variable selection screen. Other variables only have the default full-d
