With the present Scientific Use File (doi:10.5157/NEPS:SC8:1.0.0), the new Starting Cohort of fifth-graders in the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), which was launched in 2022, celebrates its premiere with regard to the provision of data for research purposes. The current data comes from the first survey wave; the field period ranged from October 2022 to May 2023. The target persons were students in the fifth grade at regular and special schools. The participating children completed a computer-based questionnaire as well as tests in several competence domains within the school context. Children who could not be reached at school on the agreed days had the option of answering the questionnaire online at home. In addition, information is available from the telephone interviews with the students' parents. The same applies to responses from teachers at the involved schools and the respective principals or school management teams.

Detailed information on the complex design and the realization of the first survey wave of Starting Cohort 8 can be found in the corresponding Field Reports on the website in the section „Documentation“. The Data Manual is also available there as the central guide for understanding and working with the data of the Scientific Use File. Further materials complete the data documentation.

Starting Cohort 8: including documentation

NEPS Data Portfolio including download

NEPS Data Access including application forms