A codebook describes the contents, structure, and layout of a data collection. A well-documented codebook “contains information intended to be complete and self-explanatory for each variable in a data file 1.”

What is in a codebook?

A codebook describes the contents, structure, and layout of a data collection. A well-documented codebook “contains information intended to be complete and self-explanatory for each variable in a data file 1.”

What is a codebook for a database?

A codebook is an essential document that informs the data user about the study, data file(s), variables, categories, etc., that make up a complete dataset. … When captured using the DDI metadata standard, information in a codebook is structured, machine-actionable, and usable by computer software and databases.