1) Files contained in ANES 2016 Time Series release file "anes_timeseries_2016.zip" include:

   anes_timeseries_2016_rawdata.txt            		-Raw data file
 
   anes_timeseries_2016_userguidecodebook.pdf		-User Guide & Codebook files
 
   anes_timeseries_2016_sas.zip                		-SAS syntax files
    anes_timeseries_2016_codelabelsassign.sas
    anes_timeseries_2016_columns.sas
    anes_timeseries_2016_codelabelsdefine.sas
    anes_timeseries_2016_missingdata.sas
    anes_timeseries_2016_run.sas
    anes_timeseries_2016_varlabels.sas
  
   anes_timeseries_2016_spss.zip               		-SPSS syntax files
    anes_timeseries_2016_codelabelsassign.sps
    anes_timeseries_2016_columns.sps
    anes_timeseries_2016_missingdata.sps
    anes_timeseries_2016_run.sps
    anes_timeseries_2016_varlabels.sps
  
   anes_timeseries_2016_stata.zip              		-STATA syntax files
    anes_timeseries_2016_codelabelsassign.do
    anes_timeseries_2016_columns.dct
    anes_timeseries_2016_codelabelsdefine.do
    anes_timeseries_2016_missingdata.do
    anes_timeseries_2016_run.do
    anes_timeseries_2016_varlabels.do 
 
 
  syntax file: _codelabelsassign    Assigns code labels to variables.
  syntax file: _columns             Defines variable column locations in raw data file.
  syntax file: _codelabelsdefine    Defines (format) code labels [SAS and STATA only]
  syntax file: _missingdata         Sets default missing data statements.
  syntax file: _varlabels           Sets variable labels.
  syntax file: _run                 Creates system data file in SAS, SPSS or STATA


2) Open-ended text responses will be available in a separate Microsoft Excel file as soon they 
   have been fully redacted. Coded versions of the open-ended responses for many variables
   will be available in a future release.


3) Note on the raw [ASCII] data file:

   The structure of the raw data file ("anes_timeseries_2016_rawdata.txt") is 
   both fixed column and delimited (delimiter character = "|" )


4) Note on variable "version":

   The first variable in the data is variable "version" which describes the 
   study's release version by date of production (YYYY-Month-DD).


5) Instructions for creating a SAS, SPSS, or STATA system (data) file:

	i)   The raw data file and all syntax files for the statistical software 
    	     in use (SAS or SPSS or STATA) must be moved to a common directory 
    	     location (e.g. 'C:\anes\anes_timeseries_2016\20190904\').
     
	ii)  The _run syntax file must be edited to include pathname for the 
	     directory where the files reside. The pathname must be added in 
	     every location where a file from the directory is named in the 
	     _run file, for example the name of the raw data file, the name of
	     any another syntax file, or (for SPSS and STATA only) the name for
	     the output system file if it will be written to the same directory.
	     In the SAS _run file, pathname must also be added to the libname 
	     statement. Users will also need to add pathname to the first line 
	     of the STATA dictionary (.dct) file where the input raw data file 
	     name is indicated.
     
	iii) Submitting the edited _run file will create the output system file 
	     for SAS/SPSS/STATA.
     
	iv) In the _run file, invocation of the _missingdata syntax file which 
	    creates default missing data assignments is considered optional 
	    and appears commented out (*). Users can include the default missing 
	    data assignments for an output SAS/SPSS/STATA system file by removing 
	    the comment character from its file reference (SAS "filename" or SPSS 
	    "file handle") as well as from its invocation statement (SAS %include 
	    or SPSS include or STATA do).
     



