Obtaining Approval for Use of HERI Data

NOTE: As of 13 May 2008, HERI will not be accepting or reviewing new proposals.
Proposals received on or before 13 May 2008 will be processed in the order that they were received.
We will resume acceptance and review of new proposals in early September 2008.

The Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) encourages research and scholarly inquiry using the hundreds of data files for research on post-secondary education that HERI maintains. Individuals interested in using HERI data must submit a proposal for data access and should demonstrate a clear idea of the specific project they wish to pursue. When reviewing proposals, HERI staff evaluate whether:

1. HERI data adequately matches the proposed research project;
2. The study design is adequate to answer the questions being asked, theoretical grounding is evident, and the proposal provides sufficient detail about dependent and independent variables;
3. The proposal details the process by which the investigator will acquire appropriate institutional review board approval;
4. The intended plan specified by the investigator involves advancing scholarship; and
5. The research is conducted in a manner that minimizes conflicts with other research conducted by HERI staff or other investigators under previously approved projects.

Financial Issues

Approval of the project by HERI does not imply any offer of funding for the project; all costs of the research are the responsibility of the investigator. There are fees associated with HERI data access. The scope of the study (i.e., what dataset is involved, how many years will be examined, etc) often determines the cost. Please contact HERI to discuss your study and related costs.

Institutional Review Board Approval

Researchers from outside of UCLA must also obtain approval from their own institutional review boards as appropriate. An necessary local IRB approval can be obtained after HERI approves the project. It is the responsibility of the investigator to determine if local IRB approval is necessary.

HERI Involvement

Approval by HERI does not carry with it any commitment to facilitate the execution of the project beyond access to and descriptions of the data.

Dataset Limitations

HERI will only provide investigators with data files that do not contain individual or institutional identifiers. Datasets that are available for use by scholars outside HERI are those that are three years and older. Currently this means that datasets from 2005 and later are not yet available.

Terms of Approval

Approval for use of HERI data will be for a period of two years, starting at the time your project is approved. You may apply for a one-year extension at the end of the two year period. Before investigators will be given access to the data they will be required to sign a licensing agreement that dictates the terms of access.

Dissemination

The investigator(s) should provide two copies of any reports to HERI immediately upon publication or presentation. HERI would like to have permission to disseminate your findings on the HERI website in whatever form possible.

PROPOSAL NARRATIVE:

YOUR 2-3 PAGE PROPOSAL MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS

1. Title.
2. Purpose. Explain the study’s theoretical framework. Make reference to the literature as appropriate.
3. Research questions and/or hypotheses. Explicitly state your research questions.
4. Datasets, respondents, and variables. Specify the existing data set(s) to be used (instrument and year), if you require a particular subset of respondents (e.g., only women), and the specific variables requested in the data set(s).
5. Method of Analysis. Explain the analyses that will be performed.
6. Location of study. Explain if you will be accessing the data in-house at HERI or will need to arrange for off-site access. If you plan on-site access, estimate when and how long you would need to be on-site.
7. Dissemination. Describe the proposed dissemination of the results, including: to whom results will be released, how the results will be released, and a timetable for release.
8. References.

Submitting your proposal:

Please submit:

1. Three hard copies of the full proposal or one electronic copy.
2. A completed and signed cover page (contained in attachment below). Students must have a faculty sponsor sign the cover page. This may be faxed or mailed.

When submitting your proposal, please allow sufficient time for HERI to review your project and ask for clarifications. Proposals are reviewed monthly on the third Wednesday of the month.  Proposals must be received a week before (the second Wednesday of the month) in order to be considered in that monthly cycle.  You will be notified shortly after that meeting about the status of your proposal.

HERI Data Access Policy and Data Request Form - A PDF document containing the information contained above and the official cover sheet required for submission.