2009-05-01T11:09:21-05:00
calculated_variables inflation joining data chart
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2009-05-01T16:14:51-05:00
Verifiable Staff
474241
How Do I Adjust for Inflation?
2009-05-01T16:14:51-05:00
<p>The basic technique:</p>
<ul>
<li>Produce your chart in nominal dollars (unadjusted for inflation).</li>
<li>"Join" it with a second data set containing inflation data.</li>
<li>Create a "calculated variable" converting nominal dollars to real dollars (inflation-adjusted).</li>
<li>Edit your chart to use that new variable instead of (or next to) the original.</li>
</ul>
<p>The gory details:</p>
<ol>
<li>Produce your chart in nominal dollars (unadjusted for inflation).</li>
<li>click the "Join Data" button below your list of variables</li>
<li>for step 1 in the Join Data window, choose the name of the column in your data set that contains dates (e.g., "Year")</li>
<li>for step 2 in the Join Data window, search for the term "cpi factors"</li>
<li>for step 3 in the Join Data window, click on the little black arrow next to the first search result, and select the very first variable, "Year"</li>
<li>Click the "Join" button at the bottom. You've now joined the inflation data to your data, using years as the common variable, and you have a big list of new variables in your list.</li>
<li>Click the "Add Calculated Variable" button below your list of variables.</li>
<li>Give it a name, e.g.: <span style="font-family: courier;">whatever (2005 Dollars)</span></li>
<li>For the formula, select the name of the nominal-dollar variable in your data set that you want to convert to real dollars, and divide it by the variable named "2005$ CF" (which is the conversion factor for turning any other given year's dollars into 2005 dollars). E.g., your formula should look like this: <span style="font-family: courier;">[Year]/[2005$ CF]</span></li>
<li>Click "Ok".</li>
</ol>
<p><br />You now have a new variable called "whatever (2005 Dollars)" which you can chart just like the original.</p>
<p>The basic technique:</p>
<ul>
<li>Produce your chart in nominal dollars (unadjusted for inflation).</li>
<li>"Join" it with a second data set containing inflation data.</li>
<li>Create a "calculated variable" converting nominal dollars to real dollars (inflation-adjusted).</li>
<li>Edit your chart to use that new variable instead of (or next to) the original.</li>
</ul>
<p>The gory details:</p>
<ol>
<li>Produce your chart in nominal dollars (unadjusted for inflation).</li>
<li>click the "Join Data" button below your list of variables</li>
<li>for step 1 in the Join Data window, choose the name of the column in your data set that contains dates (e.g., "Year")</li>
<li>for step 2 in the Join Data window, search for the term "cpi factors"</li>
<li>for step 3 in the Join Data window, click on the little black arrow next to the first search result, and select the very first variable, "Year"</li>
<li>Click the "Join" button at the bottom. You've now joined the inflation data to your data, using years as the common variable, and you have a big list of new variables in your list.</li>
<li>Click the "Add Calculated Variable" button below your list of variables.</li>
<li>Give it a name, e.g.: <span style="font-family: courier;">whatever (2005 Dollars)</span></li>
<li>For the formula, select the name of the nominal-dollar variable in your data set that you want to convert to real dollars, and divide it by the variable named "2005$ CF" (which is the conversion factor for turning any other given year's dollars into 2005 dollars). E.g., your formula should look like this: <span style="font-family: courier;">[Year]/[2005$ CF]</span></li>
<li>Click "Ok".</li>
</ol>
<p><br />You now have a new variable called "whatever (2005 Dollars)" which you can chart just like the original.</p>
2009-05-01T11:09:21-05:00
34075
35511
51637
2009-05-01T11:44:34-05:00
474241