This series of small datasets, covering a range of research topics in the social sciences, was created to illustrate statistical techniques. Users should note that these datasets are for use with the first edition of the following publication only: Marsh, C. (1988) Exploring data, Cambridge: Polity Press. The second edition of Exploring data was published in November 2008, and an accompanying set of updated teaching datasets are available from the UKDA under SN 6096. The new teaching datasets for the second edition are not intended to replace these data, which will continue to be available for use alongside copies of the first edition.