Frequently Asked Questions
APPLICATION
Do I have to complete the entire application (application form, statement, CV, references) all at once? Or may I stop and resume later?
Applications may not be saved if you do not complete when beginning an application. It is best to complete the application when you started it. Please have all your files ready before starting an application.
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What information should be in the statement of purpose?
Along with basic background and contact information, we will ask you to provide:
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A statement of purpose (up to 2 pages) describing your research interests and plans for the Future of Families data.
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Letters of recommendation from two professional references.
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What happens if I made a mistake in the application form - and I only realize after I submitted it?
Send the correct information to ffsummerdataworkshop@columbia.edu and staff can update your application.
I'm having trouble with my application. I uploaded the CV as a statement! What do I do?
Contact ffsummerdataworkshop@columbia.edu, and we'll help you!
My reference hasn't received the email with the information to upload their letter of reference. Can you help?
1) The emails are sent when the candidate submits the online application form - so if an application form was first submitted way back in February - the email could be buried in the inbox, so search there. The subject would be "Reference Letter for Future of Families Summer Data Training Workshop."
2) Some university IT departments might not allow traffic from the site that sends our auto-emails, or they might route the emails directly to one's spam folder. So references should check their spam folder.
3) Finally, if the information doesn't surface, please contact ffsummerdataworkshop@columbia.edu and staff will send the information needed directly. Please note though that staff work Monday through Friday, ~9am-~5pm, but will make a reasonable effort to keep an eye for issues in the weekend before the deadline.
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It looks like I will not be able to send out the reference letter request links until my final application is submitted. Is that correct?
Yes, we recommend that you personally request letters of recommendation now so your references have time to prepare them in advance. References will have to submit . This format does encourage submitting the online application form, CV, and statement early.
DATA
I have questions about the data and the documentation. Who can answer them?
Please email questions about the data itself to ffdata@princeton.edu. Questions about the workshop or the application process can be directed to ffsummerdataworkshop@columbia.edu. And if you have both kinds of questions, email both addresses, and we'll get back to you!
What data will be available to workshop attendees?
The workshop will be focused on data from the public-use Future of Families files, from the baseline through Year 15 waves. These data can be downloaded by researchers through the Princeton University Office of Population Research Data Archive. Panelists may also discuss data from the restricted-use contract files, but participants need not have the contract data to participate in the workshop. Researchers will also discuss the ongoing 22-year follow-up data collection.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I attended a Future of Families Data Training workshop. Which grant number do I include in the acknowledgment section of my manuscript?
If you attended in 2012 through 2016, use R25HD072818 and R01HD036916.
If you attended in 2020 through 2025 use R25HD074544 and R01HD036916.
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Here is suggested language:
"The project described was supported by Award Numbers [insert grant numbers based on year of attendance] awarded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health & Human Development. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development or the National Institutes of Health."
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