Conducting Research at the RDC
Once your project has been accepted by the relevant agencies, researchers must do the following:
Apply for Special Sworn Status
After your project is accepted you must receive Special Sworn Status before you can access the data. The RDC Administrator will provide the instructions for SSS after your project is approved.
Read the FSRDC Researcher Handbook
The handbook outlines the legal requirements you must meet to maintain the confidentiality of microdata at the TRDC, and the legal basis for your access to the data.
Obtain Access to the RDC Computing Facilities
All research is conducted on location a secure laboratory operated in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies (CES). You can work at either facility based on convenience and available seats.
The TRDC has two locations:
1. Carolina Population Center at UNC-Chapel Hill
2. Social Sciences Research Institute at Duke University
Learn about the computing environment and download computing tutorials. Provide any needed external data files to the RDC Administrator and CES computing staff.
Review policies and procedures
Review details about using the TRDC. There is also information on fees, disclosure and confidentiality policies, and how to acknowledge the TRDC in manuscripts.
Meet any Human Subjects review board criteria (IRB) as required by your home institution or granting body.
Note this is not a TRDC requirement.