Emphasis on the panel aspects of the design should not obscure the fact that the 1994 data can be used to support cross-sectional analyses of the 1994 electorate. The full set of 1795 cases, with appropriate weights, is a representative sample of the U.S. electorate. There is no study staff release as such. Sampling, field and interviewer characteristic variables have been merged in. The dataset contains 2204 variables and 1795 cases.
Documentation is currently machine readable only.
A history of NES, description of the NES research organization and study planning process, and a list of technical pilot study reports. In addition, the CD includes special front-end software for use with the Cumulative Data File, the 1992 Election Study, and the 1980 Major Panel File. An instruction manual for the browsing and extraction software will accompany the disk. Most individuals will use this CD on a desktop personal computer or through means of a file-server to which their personal computer is connected. The CD can be used with both IBM-compatible personal computers and with Macintosh computers running PC Exchange, Apple File Exchanger, or Version 7.5 of the Apple Finder.