Working with Numbers
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When working with statistics, aggregate data, and microdata, it is important to consider a number of factors:
- Geography - the country, region, city, neighborhood
- Time Period - current, historical, over time, etc.
- Population/Units of Analysis - age, sex, race, ancestry, educational attainment/households, individuals
- Variables - responses to questionnaire and how they are organized
- Context - what is the hypothesis being investigated
- Questionnaire - what questions were asked; shows what will and won't be available in the data
- Availability - Sometimes the data you require was not collected, or was not arranged in the way that works best for your project. You may need to use multiple types of data from different sources as a way around this.
- Source - When you find data online, make sure it is clear from where (and when)the information originated.
The UCLA Data Archive's Tutorials provides excellent information about working with social science data, citing data sources, how to read codebooks, etc.
Online Statistics Sources
- Social Statistics and Data GuideFrom the UCLA Library, a general guide to major sources of local, state, national, and international data research.
- Disability Statistics: Online Resource for U.S. Disability Statistics (Cornell University)Statistics, datasets, annual disability status reports (summary of the most recent demographic and economic statistics on the non-institutionalized population with disabilities) and more.
- VAWnet: National Online Resource Center on Violence Against WomenMajor web resource including links to data sets and research reports.
- Research and Statistics Related to Violence Against WomenFrom the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) in collaboration with the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), focused on the United States
- UNICEF Data: Monitoring the Situation of Children and WomenUNICEF measures the situation of children and women and tracks progress through data collection and analysis.
- UN Economic Commission: Violence Against WomenUN data and reports on international violence against women.
- Sourcebook of Criminal Justice StatisticsData from more than 100 sources about many aspects of criminal justice in the United States, including sexual assault.
- Violence Against Women and Family Violence ProgramFrom the U.S. Department of Justice, this site includes selected research results and information on intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and rape.
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: StatisticsCDC stats cover sexual violence (including some global information), and intimate partner violence.
- ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the U.S. This link opens in a new window
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Comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States, from 2013 to the present. Volumes covering 1879-2012 are on the US Census site.
- Explore Census Data (formerly American FactFinder)This is a new platform for accessing U.S. census data. American FactFinder moved to this new platform on March 31, 2020.
- California Statistical AbstractCompilation of statistics including population, budget, finance, crime, natural resources, etc. Published by the California Department of Finance.
- OECD iLibrary This link opens in a new window
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Online library of e-books, e-periodicals, and interactive statistical databases produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
- StatsCanCanadian statistics source
- Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) This link opens in a new window
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Large archive of surveys useful in secondary analysis and quantitative research. Includes political and election studies, education studies, population research, economic attitudes and behavior, social indicators, and studies on health status from the United States and many countries worldwide. Searches of holdings are possible using author, title, keyword, or study number. For assistance, ask at the Data Science Center.
- NationMasterGeneral stats on different countries, including some comparative data on specific crimes.
- California Criminal Justice ProfileIncludes state-wide data on crime by general category