Using Restricted Access Data

A number of federal agencies and research organizations distribute special files to investigators on which they impose use restrictions. Some individual researchers may collect data containing direct or indirect identifiers which remain in the dataset to enable re-analysis. These files generally contain data fields such as social security numbers, names, geographic detail, or extensive life history markers that might enable an unauthorized user to identify a participant. The use restrictions vary, but they typically involve secure (locked) data storage and password protected computers, and forbid the storage of data on computer hard drives that may be accessed through a computer network connection. These agreements may also limit the types of analyses that are done by the investigator. This document provides some information and resources on gaining access to restricted data. It is freely available under a Creative Commons license. PDF format.