GovDocs Training: Statistics

7.05.06

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Statistics

 

received handout

 

Statistical Abstract

• most recent 2 years held at service desk
• 1878+ in GovDocs collection: c 3.134:year
• contains some private stats (such as media, advertising)
• but most stats are government-produced
• online version not as easy to use
  • multiple pdfs
  • not full-text
  • copyrighted information may be missing
• each table cites its source
  • see sources for more detailed information
• index numbers are the table numbers, not the page numbers
• also on CD (C3.134's)

 

Historical Statistics of the United States

• Census Bureau version contains historic stats from colonial era+
  • last updated in 1975
  • CB is now digitizing their information
  • available online: colonial era - 1970
• Cambridge updated this work
  • 5 blue volumes at service desk

 

Texas Almanac

• latest copy at service desk
• others in GovDocs reserve
• some from the 1800's, but we don't own an entire run
• privately published
• there is a website, but you must pay for most information on it

 

Reference Questions you need to know:

• What geographic area?
• Age range?
• Ethnicity?

 

Typically, the smaller the level (national, state, county, city), the more difficult to find specific statistical information.

 

Statistics are produced by many government agencies, not just the Census Bureau.

 

LexisNexis Statistical

• useful when you don't know which agency would gather specific statistics
• easy to use by clicking on subject
• based on print abstracts:
  • ASI (federal)
  • IIS (international)
  • SRI (state, business-gathered)
• for international & business-gathered info, we'll have the abstract, but not often the data in the table
  • first find the reference, then determine how to access that data (ILL)
• also get microfische (primarily for ASI)
• to do: play around with this one

 

Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)

• statistics consortium hosted at University of Michigan
• our contact is in the Political Science department
• we have access to this data
  • easier on-campus
• good for non-government data

 

American Fact-Finder

• we have CD's for the 1990's
  • don't necessarily have the AFF title
  • C3's (C3.282/2)
• census data
• to do: play around with this one

 

Visual Information

• Census Bureau data: can create maps
• users could possibly create graphs from any information available in MS Excel format
• American FactFinder online has comma-delimited files for download
• download Data Ferret to create charts from census microdata (works with other government data as well)

 

Additional Sources (Agencies)

• for instance, Texas State Board of Education
  • test scores
  • graduation rates
• Gallup data
  • ICPSR may have some, but not all
• alternative: Roper Poll
  • in LexisNexis Academic

 

International Data Base (IDB)

• not many graphing options

 

next week's training: Census Bureau

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