The SOEP group at DIW Berlin introduced the SOEP-IS panel for short-term experiments but also for long-term surveys that are not possible in the core SOEP - for instance, because they require instruments that are not yet well established or that deal with very specific research topics. In addition to Samples E and I from the core SOEP, which were started in 1998 and 2009, respectively, new samples were drawn in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2023 to achieve the target number of 5,000 respondents. The annual interviews since 2011 have contained not only questions from the core SOEP but also innovative modules, which are selected in a peer-reviewed competition as of the 2013 survey year to identify the “best” research questions. Some of the many topics include earnings, employment, education, health and more.
All existing and upcoming innovative modules are listed on SOEP-IS-Companion.