Publications

wgtdistrim trims extreme sampling weights using the weight distribution approach suggested by Potter (1990). The reciprocal of the sampling weights are assumed to follow a (scaled) beta distribution. The parameters of the beta distribution are estimated from the sampling weights and the trimming levels (cut-offs) are computed for the specified percentiles. Sampling weights that are more extreme than the specified percentiles are trimmed to these percentiles and the excess is distributed equally among the untrimmed sampling weights so that the sum of the trimmed sampling weights equals the sum of the untrimmed sampling weights. This process is repeated a specified number of times (or until the trimmed sampling weights do no longer change).

This publication documents all variables and constructs that were used to observe (prospective) teachers from the beginning of teacher training through the preparatory service and into the profession within the framework of the Student Teacher Panel (LAP). The LAP-study is closely linked to the Starting Cohort Students (SC5) of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). Since autumn 2014, the LAP project has not only been able to further incorporate the oversample of teacher trainees in the NEPS student cohort but also to integrate a teacher specific survey program into the SC5 surveys.

Work is a central area of human life, and work-associated stress can affect health over a long period of time. From a health sociological perspective, it was assumed in this paper that education as a resource is able to support the management of stress(ors) and thus has a positive impact on health. Data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS): Starting Cohort 6 – Adults, was used and a cross-sectional analysis was performed. Linear regression models were estimated to analyse the effect of stressors at the workplace on work-related stress. The results show that more well-educated people show a lower level of stress, net of stressors and additional controls.

This paper investigates the relationship between age and attaining a tenured position in academia (postdoctoral researcher or professorship at a university of applied sciences or university). Following considerations about ageism towards doctoral graduates who were 40 years and older (40+) upon attaining a PhD and Robert K. Merton’s idea of cumulative advantages in academic careers (Matthew-Effect), we differentiate between biological and academic age. We test the relationships and the resources accumulated behind the latter using data from the DZHW PhD Panel 2014. Applying piecewise constant exponential estimations and an entropy balancing, we find that PhDs aged 40+ experience a significantly positive effect on attaining a professorship.

Unequal access to university and the decision processes that give rise to it are important factors in the accumulation of educational inequalities. In this paper, we investigate a specific aspect of such decision processes by focusing on those students who change their original plans to start a (nontertiary) vocational education and decide to pursue a tertiary degree instead. In doing so, we find that more than one-fifth of the students in our sample who originally planned to pursue a vocational education change their original decision in this way.

Every year, substantial numbers of students become internationally mobile. Although international experiences are often promoted as benefitting graduates’ career development, until recently there had been little sound research examining whether different types of student mobility pay off in the labour market. Against this background, this policy brief summarises available evidence on the labour market outcomes SMS and SMI. It also develops ideas on how policymakers can contribute to enhancing the outcomes of these types of ISM for students, higher education institutions, and employers.