Improving Knowledge Production in Comparative Survey Research: Cross-Using Data from Four International Survey Programmes

Abstract

In the context of flourishing cross-national and multi-level research, the variety of macro and micro data sources available to researchers have evolved into an interdependent ecosystem of social indicators. Focusing on four comparative social surveys, this paper examines the extent to which secondary data users take advantage of a range of complementary data sources to broaden the breadth or strengthen the robustness of their research. Using two Google Scholar-based datasets of 2789 and 796 publications, we find that, despite the complex equivalence issues in comparative survey research, users combine data to a considerable extent, aiming to increase conceptual, geographic, and temporal coverage and cross-validate findings. Selecting the example of the European Social Survey, 183 journal articles are qualitatively examined to identify specific epistemic gains attained by analysts when combining ESS survey data with data from other comparative programmes. The strategy involves risks, emanating from either analysts' own misjudgements or arising from the wider issues of comparability and transparency in cross-national survey research. However, a number of data harmonisation platforms have recently emerged that may facilitate the standardisation of measures across surveys, augmenting the possibilities for future theory development and research.

Forms of Non/Religiosity in Slovakia after 1989

“…In spite of the fact that a large number of such surveys have been carried out in Slovakia since 1990, only two research programmes allow for a systematic analysis of this development-the EVS (European Values Study, which in some waves was also a part of the WVS (World Values Survey)) and the ISSP (International Social Survey Programme). It is not common to work with the results of different research programmes, even with several waves within one programme (Malnar and Ryan 2021), often because the data collection methodologies, the frequency of data collection, and the construction of indicators do not allow it. The EVS research programme has been implemented in Slovakia four times so far-in 1991far-in , 1999far-in , 2008far-in , and 2017far-in (EVS 2021-thus allowing us to capture the entire period of the transition of Slovak society from the regime of state socialism to the current liberal and pluralistic democracy.…”