How to create individual panel data through merging two cross sections

[Shifa Fatimah]

Hello All I am in need of desperate help regarding my model. I have cross-section data done for two years i.e. 2001 and 2010. I am trying to see the movement of each individual across the panel. My question is this how can individual movement be tracked through merging two cross-sections of the data. I am sorry if this question is stupid but I am new to this. I have merged the data set and I am confused how to create a panel.

[William Lisowski]

Without a better understanding of your data it's difficult to answer your question. Perhaps the best place for you to start is by reviewing the Stata Longitudinal-Data/Panel-Data Reference Manual PDF included in your Stata Installation and accessible through Stata's Help menu. In particular look at the "Introduction to xt commands" that starts on page 2 which has a discussion of how panel data is organized for analysis in Stata.