An Introduction to Longitudinal Research

Elisabetta Ruspini here provides a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the use of longitudinal research, and its bearing on the social sciences.
One of the major changes in the social science research landscape during the 1990s has been the introduction of computerized panel surveys in Europe and the US which make longitudinal data widely available to graduate students. Elisabetta Ruspini here provides a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the issues involved in this kind of research.;The book: defines the concept of longitudinal research; gives guidance on sources of longitudinal data in Europe and the US and their strengths and weaknesses; discusses the choices that need to be made in this kind of research - for instance the advantages and disadvantages of certain types of research data and of different types of analysis; and highlights some of the problems involved, like the issue of comparability within longitudinal research.