Finding Statistical Resources

What are statistics?

Numeric descriptions of events and activities represented as a table of numbers, a graph, a picture or a map.

Why use them?

To document and define the scope of your problem.

Who produces them?

  • Government agencies (federal, state, local), Educational institutions, Nonprofit agencies, Corporations

How can you find them?

Create a search strategy, with attention to the following:

  • Define your parameters: topic, time frame and geography are important in finding the right statistics (example: teenage pregnancy from 1960 to the present in Benton County, in Oregon and in the United States)
  • Identify general concepts and derive keywords from them (much the same as you would for other kinds of literature searches)
  • Identify who is likely to gather and publish statistics on your topic, which can prove useful in deciding where to search for information

Now you've defined what it is you're looking for, decide on some places to look. Here are some suggestions...

Places to look...

The most comprehensive source for statistics collected by the U.S. Government (which collects a lot of data on population, housing, the economy, education, health and a lot more) is Statistical Abstract of the United States -often the best place to start! Published annually both in print and online, it is both historic and current. Print: latest edition in Reference HA202. Online: from 1995- http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/

 

Web/electronic resources

(* Indicates highly recommended resource)

Databases (access from Database page)

Search engines

Finding stats on the web is easy; finding relevant stats on a particular topic can be very challenging. General search engines such as AltaVista are not very useful, since most aren't designed to make this kind of undifferentiated search. It is better to use a specialized search engine, such as

Online Web guides and directories are also very useful:

Go to agency or association web sites directly if you know who might have the information you need. You can find lists of these in several places including:

And don't forget the *U.S. Bureau of the Census, which collects a stunning amount of data! Search Oasis for historical census data; for recent or current information, go directly to the Census website at http://www.census.gov/ or to American FactFinder, the Bureau's search engine for the most current population, housing, economic and geographic information.


Print resources

It is often easier to locate statistics using print sources, particularly if you want older data, general numbers (as opposed to a specific piece of information) or the same set of statistics for multiple locations. Some advantages of print over internet resources include:

  • Stability: internet data can be "here today, gone tomorrow."
  • Easy to use: usually requires less background knowledge about a subject, and often easier to see an entire table on paper than on line.
  • Easy to cite: author, publisher or agency responsible are usually very apparent, unlike some web site information.

How to find print resources

  • OSU Libraries Catalog: try doing a keyword search of your subject with the word "statistics." In addition, OSU is a federal and state depository library that has a lot of government data that is cataloged and will appear in an Oasis search.
  • Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (free access at http://catalog.gpo.gov/F, or accessible from the library's databases page as GPO Monthly Catalog): this is the federal government's official listing of publications (contains many online sources-with hot links-as well).
  • Databases cite books, journal articles and reports that can contain statistics. Several useful ones for this are LexisNexis Statistical, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC

Fact Checking the Media

STATS at George Mason University http://www.stats.org

STATS is a non-profit, non-partisan organization affiliated with The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University that monitors the media to expose the abuse of science and statistics before people are misled and public policy is distorted. Their present focus is on education and child rearing, drug use and abuse, public health and disease, polls and surveys, gender issues, crime and defense.

Searching tips

If you are unable to find the statistics you need:

  • Consider modifying your data needs. What you are looking for might not have been published or not yet been researched.
  • Try broadening the geographic area you are searching. Many statistics gathered at the state and federal level might not be available at the local level. (Local data is often hard to find, especially below the county level!)
  • Use multiple sources. Don't limit yourself to the internet! Books, government reports and journal articles contain statistics also.

Evaluate your sources!

Criteria you employ for evaluating other sources (authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency and coverage) should also be applied to statistical data. Also remember that statistical data are only as good as the people who create it, the quality of their work, and how well they relay their personal or organizational bias. When you look at the statistical data you should be able to easily answer the following questions:

  • Who are the people who did the study?
  • Why were they doing the study?
  • Who paid for the study?

If you can't answer these questions, look at the data source more closely to see if it is reputable, and ask your instructor or a librarian for help evaluating the source.

  • Be aware of citations: Just like citations of text, citations for numbers should be complete and provide enough information for others to find and verify the original source.
  • Be wary of studies with incomplete citations, such as those who cite unidentifiable sources (and therefore unverifiable) with phrases like "statistical sources show..." or "studies say..."
  • Track data back to the official source. If you cannot track data back to an official source, you may have a claim with no basis in fact. Tracking data back to an official source may also give you additional information and help you to identify bias in the author who included the statistics in his or her publication.
  • Apply the rules of evaluation to your own use of statistical data. Remember, someone will be evaluating your statistics in the same way you evaluated others. Make sure you do the following:
    • Use a reputable source
    • Cite your source completely
    • Use correct topic, time period, and geography
    • Present data completely

Adapted in part from "Finding Facts, Reviews and More: Lesson Three, Locating, Evaluating, and Using Statistics." ©2000 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. University Libraries. URL: http://tutorial.lib.umn.edu/.

Tell us what you think!

Send your comments on this page to the author, Valery King, at valery.king[at]oregonstate.edu