Proposal Information
Researchers planning to use
the MCRDC must submit a research proposal. Proposals are
reviewed by the MCRDC, by the Census Bureau, and, for
proposals that use data it provides to the Census Bureau, by
the Internal Revenue Service.
The research conducted in
the MCRDC must have a Census Bureau (Title 13) purpose.
Census Bureau purposes include improving the quality of the
data it collects, improving methodology for collecting and
disseminating its data, and improving Census sample frames
and statistical procedures. Research that uses Internal
Revenue Service (Title 26) data must have primarily a
Census Bureau purpose. In practice, most economic data
includes Title 26 data. See the
IRS
Criterion document for more information. All projects
will be reviewed for Census Bureau purpose, disclosure risk,
feasibility, and scientific merit. Funding of a project by
a granting agency such as the NSF or the National Institutes
of Health will be taken as evidence of scientific merit,
though outside funding is not necessary to establish
scientific merit.
Researchers interested in
submitting a proposal to use confidential data at the MCRDC
must first create a user account at the
Center for Economic
Studies. Researchers may then submit a one page
preliminary proposal on the CES web site; this proposal
briefly describes the proposed research project and the
requested data set(s). Researchers then work with the
MCRDC to develop a full 15 page (approximately 30 double-spaced pages) research
proposal and statement of the benefits that the project will
provide to the U.S. Census Bureau. The MCRDC works closely
with researchers in drafting their proposals and invites
queries from qualified researchers about the potential
projects. Given the complexity of accessing these data,
researchers are urged to contact the MCRDC early in the
process of developing proposals.
Census has outlined
methodological research topics which are high priority for
the U.S. Census Bureau. Researchers are encouraged to read
over this “call for research” in order to identify ways that
their propose research can be directly beneficial to those
research programs inside the Census Bureau that are
concerned with a particular topic. Click here for a
description of the "Potential
Research Data Center Methodological Topics".
Click here for an outline
of "Tips
for Writing a Successful MCRDC Proposal". These tips
include a brief summary of the abstract, project
description, CV requirements, and benefits statement
sections of a proposal. The "Tips" document also reviews
the conditions under which an
Institutional Review
Board is required to approve a project involving human
subjects. A more detailed set of submission
instructions can be found on the
CES website.
Researchers currently using
the MCRDC should also be aware of our
information for current researchers link. This page
contains useful information on releasing output and
disclaimers for presentations and publications.
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