Microdata

Microdata Definition

Microdata refers to datasets that contain specific information pertaining to individual respondents participating in an enquiry, whether these respondents are persons, households, or organisations such as schools or companies. In sociological research, microdata represents the granular level of detail collected about specific units rather than broader statistical summaries.

Anonymisation and Confidentiality

A fundamental characteristic of microdata is that it is virtually always anonymised to uphold the confidentiality of the participants. This process involves more than just omitting personal identifiers such as names and addresses; researchers must also manage sensitive locational or occupational details. To effectively obscure identities, detailed geographical codes or industry classifications are often deliberately deleted or broadly categorised during data processing.

Distinction from Aggregate Data

Microdata is typically contrasted with aggregate data, which represents collective statistics rather than individual-level information. While aggregate data provides high-level summaries of groups, microdata allows for the examination of patterns and variations at the level of the individual respondent.