Compare variables - values "reports" inconsistent or misleading

[sandaionescu]

When I compare two variables (V520121 and V520170 from ANES TS 1952) I get a "categories report" for each variable saying "4 total" and "1 total" respectively. But this is misleading. It is in fact a report of how many values are labeled and does not indicate how many valid values are actually present in the variable. Variable V520170 is numeric (continuous) and has in fact 130 values - and this fact is correctly documented in the "values report" appearing on the individual variable display page.

[sandaionescu]

Another example: https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/compare The comparison page states that "The selected variables do not have values" but this is NOT true. They do have values, but the values are not labelled (there are no value labels in the documentation). I think in such a case there should be a statement about the number of values on each variable, and the fact that they are unlabelled.

[CSimmer]

I confirmed sandaionescu's initial issue comment with the three screenshots below.

The Values section in the Comparison Overview page (https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/compare) is showing a comparison of labels (/var/catgry/labl), not values (/var/catgry/catValu). The Total counts are for labels too.

Column 1 has a heading of Values, but actual values listed are Label values. The totals in Columns 2 and 3 are counts for Labels with values.

[CSimmer]

Screenshots: 1) Comparison Overview - https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/compare

2) Variable Name V520121 - https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/codebooks/icpsr072134/vars/V520121

3) Variable Name V520170 - https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/codebooks/icpsr072134/vars/V520170

[CSimmer]

re: Another example: https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/compare sandaionescu can you please post the screenshots for this example?
The URL you posted does not give me enough information to pull up the pages you are talking about.

[CSimmer]

I don't have the business expertise to determine the extent of the issue.

A) Is this report is always off? OR B) Is this report off under certain conditions?

Stated another way, which is correct for this Comparison Overview page? A) You always compare values and you never compare Label values. B) Sometimes you compare values. Sometimes you compare Labels.

[sandaionescu]

the second example: variable V520020A: https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/codebooks/icpsr072134/vars/V520020A variable V520019A: https://demo.ncrn.cornell.edu/ced2ar-web/codebooks/icpsr072134/vars/V520019A

[sandaionescu]

my answer to your question above: you always compare values. if they are labeled, they should appear with labels. if they are unlabelled, that should be somehow made apparent.