title: The life history calendar:  a technique for collecting retrospective data.
abstract: "This paper details the authors' selection, design, and use of a life history calendar (LHC) to collect retrospective life course data.  A sample of nine hundred [U.S.] 23-year-olds, originally interviewed in 1980, were asked about the incidence and timing of various life events in the nine years since their 15th birthday.... The following aspects of the LHC are described: (a) the concept, uses, and advantages of the LHC, (b) the time units and domains used, (c) the mode of recording the responses and the decisions and problems involved, (d) interviewer training, and (e) coding.  The following results attest to the accuracy of the LHC retrospective data: (a) only four of the calendars had missing data in any month; (b) the data obtained in 1980 about current work, school attendance, marriage, and children showed a remarkable correspondence to the retrospective 1985 LHC reports of these events; (c) the interviewers were positive about the LHC's ability to increase respondent recall."
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Camburn
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alwin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Young-demarco
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005190:Family; D005191:Family Characteristics; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008722:Methods; D009656:North America; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012106:Research; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States
keywords: Americas; Data Collection; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Evaluation; Family And Household; Family Research; Life Cycle; Methodological Studies; North America; Northern America; Population; Population Dynamics; Research Methodology; Retrospective Studies; Studies; Study Design; Time Factors; United States