University of Gothenburg

It has been one year since we last launched an updated version of the QoG Standard dataset. We have made some changes to the datasets, the method used for updating it, and to the actual codebook, but if you have used the datasets before they will probably feel familiar. The codebook is now created automatically on the basis of meta-data that we extract from the QoG-Datasets. On this basis, we run mata-code in Stata and create the Latex-code, which we compile to the PDF that you can download. Most importantly though is the fact that we in the current version not only have updated old data sources but we have also include many new ones as well. This means that the new QoG Standard approximately includes over 2000 variables, which is a lot more compared to older versions. For this reason, we have also abandoned the old heuristic in dividing the variables into the three categories of “what it is”, “how to get it”, and “what you get”. Instead the variables in the current version are divided into sixteen thematic categories such as Quality of Government, Economy, Media, Environment, and Political System etc. You will find more information about this under the section of Variable Categories in the Codebook. We hope that this new division will facilitate your search for variables. Since the launch of the QoG Standard Dataset it has received the Lijphart, Przeworski, Verba Award for Best Dataset by the APSA Comparative Politics Section in 2009. In 2013, the QoG Standard Dataset had 18,000 page views.