Best Practices in Administrative Data Collection that Facilitate Research: Lessons Learned from the NCSP Exploratory Data Analytics Study Brief

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Release Date: October 25, 2024

Best Practices in Administrative Data Collection that Facilitate Research: Lessons Learned from the NCSP Exploratory Data Analytics Study Brief

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Data, Methods, and Tools ,  Worker Protection, Labor Standards, and Workplace-Related Benefits

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About the Brief

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This brief provides recommendations for implementing administrative data collection practices that support the research needs of federal departments and agencies. The brief describes the process and feasibility of using administrative data to conduct an implementation study of the National Construction Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Pilot (NCSP). Using the NCSP Exploratory Data Analytics Study to provide examples of lessons learned and best practices, it presents recommendations for enhancing administrative data collection practices to better advance evidence-building and expand evaluation capacity.

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Key Takeaways

The brief details seven recommendations in two stages:

Stage 1: Determine the data elements to collect as administrative data.

  1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the program under study.
  2. Develop the research questions.
  3. Determine what data elements are most important to include in the administrative data and their sources.

Stage 2: Efficiently collect and store the required data elements.

  1. Use data collection strategies that yield machine-readable data.
  2. Use data collection forms with consistent file layouts.
  3. Use data collection strategies that yield high-quality data.
  4. Define the required recordkeeping procedures.

Using these recommended practices can enhance federal departments’ and agencies’ existing administrative data collection practices and may serve as a cost-effective way for departments and agencies to comply with the Evidence Act and strengthen the evaluation capabilities of federal staff.

Citation

Liu, A. Y. and Nguyen, J. (2024). Westat. Best Practices in Administrative Data Collection that Facilitate Research: Lessons Learned from the NCSP Exploratory Data Analytics Study. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.