Archiving the Historical Demography of the U. S.

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目将存档、保存和传播有关美国历史和人口的重要数据。我们的重点是描述生活史的纵向数据，特别是多代数据集。人口相关科学的最新发展，如老龄化的生物人口学和生殖的进化生物学，重新引起了人们对跟踪个人一生和几代人的数据的兴趣。关于美国的这类数据有丰富的遗产，但它正面临永远丢失的严重危险。许多重要的研究是在数据存档不是标准做法的时候进行的，并且很少考虑数字对象的保存。除了对这些数据进行归档和保存之外，我们还将它们转换为“中间数据结构”，这是一种用于历史纵向数据的新兴标准，它为复杂的数据管理任务创造了标准化和透明度，并使这些数据更易于使用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will archive, preserve, and disseminate historically and demographically significant data about the United States. Our focus is on longitudinal data describing life histories, especially multi-generation datasets. Recent developments in population- related sciences, such as the bio-demography of aging and the evolutionary biology of reproduction, have renewed interest in data that follow individuals throughout their lives and across generations. There is a rich heritage of such data about the U.S., but it is in grave danger of being lost forever. Many important studies were conducted at a time when data archiving was not a standard practice, and the preservation of digital objects was rarely considered. In addition to archiving and preserving these data, we will translate them into the "Intermediate Data Structure," an emerging standard for historical longitudinal data, which creates standardization and transparency in complex data management tasks and makes these data much easier to use. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project will archive, preserve, and disseminate collections of longitudinal life histories from the United States and similar studies by U.S. scholars. Recent developments in population-related sciences, such as the bio-demography of aging, have renewed interest in data that follow individuals throughout their lives and across generations. Researchers will be able to apply new techniques to pose questions about fertility, mortality, family systems, aging, and migration.