DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS STATISTICS DIVISION	ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA STATISTICS DIVISION
UNITED NATIONS
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Time Use Statistics Workshop in the Arab region

Amman, Jordan, 25-28 April 2011

Coding and processing time use data

Coding specific activities

Rachid Bouhia

bouhia@un.org

Coding multiple activities

In the UNSD presentation on “Coding and processing time use data”, we saw a set of different rules regarding the coding of multiple activities:

If the activities are simultaneous and one is likely to be the consequence of the other: this later is coded as secondary

If the activities are simultaneous and none of them is a consequence: activity mentioned first is the primary

If the activities are sequential: the one with the longer duration is the primary

If the activities are sequential and with no clear difference in durations: activity mentioned first is the primary

Given the specifications above, which activity would you consider primary or secondary in the following verbatim descriptions:

Verbatim description	Primary activity	Secondary activity	ICATUS codes and comments
"On the phone doing the laundry"
"Cleaning the house and then drinking a glass of orange juice"
"Having dinner and speaking with my family"
"Cleaning the house and then doing the laundry"

Coding travels

An activity that may require attention in coding is traveling. In general, classifications categorize travel according to the purpose of travel. For such classifications, travel involving several activities or “journeys” may present difficulties in coding.

Please identify the number of travels and code them into ICATUS classification in those following scenarios:

The person goes to his workplace on the morning and go back home in the evening.

A child is brought to school on the way to work in the morning and picked up in the afternoon on the way home from work.

A woman goes to her neighbors for diner, she stops by at the shop to buy some pastries then after enjoying the diner she goes back home.

A man goes to work in the morning but his car breaks down along the way. Then he calls the emergency roadside assistance which takes him and his car to a garage close to his office. Then he walks to get to his workplace. After work, he gets his car back from the garage and then he drives back home.

The importance of contextual variables

The verbatim descriptions of activities provided by the interviewees are often not sufficient to properly code them into a specific classification. The coders should often take into consideration the contextual variables in the coding process such as the secondary activities, the location or mode of transports, the other people in presence, the purpose and so forth. Therefore not only the contextual variables provide relevant information in the dissemination phase but they also partake in the coding stage.

In the examples below, how many valid codes can you find in the ICATUS classification? Which additional variables would you need to make your final decision?

Looking for work

Teaching mathematics

Praying

Caring for my family