Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study: First Follow-Up 1996-98 (BPS:96/98) Methodology Report. Technical Report

This report describes the methods and procedures used for the full-scale data collection effort of the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study First Follow-Up 1996-98 (BPS:96/98). These students, who started their postsecondary education during the 1995-96 academic year, were first interviewed during 1996 as part of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, 1996. This study is the first follow-up of this cohort. Data collected includes postsecondary enrollment, employment, and demographics; a field locating/interviewing component allows comparative analyses with the first (1990) BPS cohort. Chapter 1 provides an introduction, some background, and the purpose of the study; chapter 2 covers the design and methodology of the full-scale study; chapter 3 covers data collection outcomes; chapter 4 covers evaluation of data quality; chapter 5 covers data file construction; and chapter 6 covers weighting and variance estimation. Appendixes include a list of technical review panel members; final data elements; facsimile questionnaire; table of contents of interviewer training manual; and sample mailout materials. (CH)