Proposed changes to the ACS Summary File format

As someone who uses SAS to build datasets from the raw ACS data files and perform subsequent data analysis, I would strongly advise against naming the fields/variables with an "E' or "M" at the end of the name.  This would make it more difficult to use a range of variables in calculations, for example, when collapsing a table into broader categories like age groups, educational attainment, etc.  So instead of fields/variables formatted like this:

B01001_001E
B01001_001M
B01001_002E
B01001_002M
B01001_003E
B01001_003M

I would suggest a naming convention more like this:

B01001_E001
B01001_M001
B01001_E002
B01001_M002
B01001_E003
B01001_M003

Just my .02

It'll be a bit confusing since some tables have letter suffixes (like B01001E_001). Someone could easily confuse B01001E_E001 with B01001_E001. Not to say it shouldn't be done, but something to consider. Also, it would kill continuity of column headers with previous years' data (which I assume will not be re-released in the new format).

Also, I've been using this data since the beginning of ACS, and I still think "Error" and not "Estimate" every time I see that E. Am I the only one?

It'll be a bit confusing since some tables have letter suffixes (like B01001E_001). Someone could easily confuse B01001E_E001 with B01001_E001. Not to say it shouldn't be done, but something to consider. Also, it would kill continuity of column headers with previous years' data (which I assume will not be re-released in the new format).

Also, I've been using this data since the beginning of ACS, and I still think "Error" and not "Estimate" every time I see that E. Am I the only one?

you're not the only one!

In reference to your statement,

"Also, it would kill continuity of column headers with previous years' data (which I assume will not be re-released in the new format).",

were the previous data ever released with the "E" or "M" appended to the end of the field/variable name?  We use custom SAS programs to build the SAS datasets from the raw ACS data (not the CB provided SAS programs).  I don't recall any of the previous data files having a header row with field/variable names.  From the CB provided SAS programs, it appears the variables are named in the xxxe001 manner and not as xxx001e, but I could be mistaken.

Regardless, it looks like any change that includes both the estimates and MOEs in the same data will necessitate naming the variables in such a way that it may "break" continuity with previous data releases, unless the end-user built the datasets to account for that.

Good point; my bad. The E/M was made as a prefix to the data filenames and worksheet tab name in the data templates. So it will necessitate a change, as you say.

NO!

Jeffrey Jordan said:

were the previous data ever released with the "E" or "M" appended to the end of the field/variable name? 

As for Bernie's comment -- Lots of us depend on these files to be machine-readable. Please let's not sacrifice any of that for a minor reduction in confusion for human readers.

Jeffrey Jordan said:

From the CB provided SAS programs, it appears the variables are named in the xxxe001 manner and not as xxx001e, but I could be mistaken.

Yes, you're correct, e.g.

/*SEX BY AGE (WHITE ALONE) */
/*Universe: People who are White alone */

B01001Ae1='Total:'
B01001Ae2='Male:'
B01001Ae3='Under 5 years'
B01001Ae4='5 to 9 years'
B01001Ae5='10 to 14 years'
B01001Ae6='15 to 17 years'
B01001Ae7='18 and 19 years'

/*SEX BY AGE (WHITE ALONE) */
/*Universe: People who are White alone */

B01001Am1='Total:'
B01001Am2='Male:'
B01001Am3='Under 5 years'
B01001Am4='5 to 9 years'
B01001Am5='10 to 14 years'
B01001Am6='15 to 17 years'