FNESdata portal provides a new way to compare election study data

The new FNESdata Longitudinal Survey Metadata Portal allows users to examine the variables in the combined data of four Finnish National Election Studies (2013–2015). Users can examine individual datasets and search for variables in them or they can browse questions in the combined data by topic using the Explore feature. The convenient variable comparison enables fresh perspectives and new research on existing data. The portal also has a basket where users can save the variables they need.

Recurring variables in the FNES data include, for example, interest in politics and elections as well as questions about voting and abstaining from voting. The variables have also included respondents’ political attitudes and views on democracy. Out of all the variables in the combined data, 125 were included in all surveys of the series, 80 were presented in three of the surveys, and 141 were the same across two surveys. The rest of the variables are specific to individual surveys.

The interview data of the Finnish National Election Studies contain Finland's contribution to the cross-national Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES). FNESdata portal is available in English and it was developed using the Colectica platform.

The new service is likely to be of particular interest to election researchers, and the fact that it is available in English will further facilitate the use of Finnish election studies abroad.

The portal was developed as part of a project funded by the Academy of Finland (Expanding and Equipping FSD as a National Service Provider for CESSDA) and it belonged to a work package intended for improving the usability of data series. The project was finished at the end of 2017.

The FNESdata Longitudinal Survey Metadata Portal is available on the FSD website at www.fsd.tuni.fi/fnesdata