finding statistics fast - expert tips to locate data using government...
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Finding Statistics Fast - Expert Tips to Locate Data Using
Government Sources
Revised and expanded version of our presentation at the 2009 COMO conference
Patricia Kenly and Bette Finn November 19, 2009
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Starting Points
• Reflect a moment - Ask yourself which agency needs to know this information; which agency might use this information.
• Some statistics depend upon others. Example housing starts is related to new kitchen appliances being sold. Information on one might lead you to information on another
Starting Points – Research GuidesBrowse online portals or research guides from
universities• Government Information – Georgia Tech
http://library.gatech.edu/guides/
• Government Information - Rosenfeld Library, UCLA Anderson School of Management http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x14415.xml
• Government Documents Statistics Guide (select link to “Statistical Reference Compendiums”). University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library http://guides.lib.umich.edu/statref
Georgia Tech Library Research Guides
Starting Points - Online Portals
• FedStats -- provides access to statistical information produced by the Federal Government http://www.fedstats.gov/
• USA.gov -- Main portal for U.S. government information http://www.usa.gov/
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Statistics -- Issues
• Statistics needed may not be tracked• May not be released (too few responses)• Gaps in published data (e.g., year-to-year in
one source; only current month in the other source)
• Time series – data may not be comparable due to different regulations, variables measured, etc. through the years.
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Statistics – Issues (Cont’d)
• May be expensive (private sources that use their algorithms on government data)
• Government agencies may charge for data• Sometimes only available in raw form (such
as data tapes)
Statistics - Caveats
• Recognize that, especially for surveys and censuses, individuals, companies, or government agencies may omit significant data, or, submit incomplete data– Ex. from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports –
“…the FBI discourages data users from…using the data as a measurement of law enforcement effectiveness…”“Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis…the data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data…solely on the basis of their population…”
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Web Site Issues• Government web sites may be difficult to
navigate– Specific URLs for data may change
• News websites which cite government data may contain inaccurate interpretations of the data, or, be deleted quickly
• Recommend: – Note title of statistical table or report – Link to the official report and/or main bureau or
department web site (and then note the path).
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Data Issues• Possible solution: ask user if different time
frames or geographies are acceptable substitutes for requested information– Examples: User may ask for a specific demographic
data for a census block. The data may only be available down to the census tract.
– Or, the user may want 20 years of data, yet what can be found after a lengthy search is 15 years. In practice, these may satisfy the user’s needs – the 20 year requirement may have been arbitrarily selected.
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Data Issues (Cont’d)
• If you find statistics one level (above or below what you need), it may lead you to data on another level.
• Always check footnotes for sources of related data
Differences in Data• For major social/political issues and topics,
there may be more than one statistic available – and, the data may be different.
• Seemingly contradictory information can be found among agency web sites as well as other sources.– Note when survey (or report) was conducted as
well as what was covered.
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Data Differences – Health Care
Health care coverage –– Does the statistic found include adults
only, or adults under 65, or, is it limited to employed persons?
– Also, as more and more persons found themselves out of work, the coverage data therefore changed during 2008. And, different agencies may have conducted surveys and issued reports.
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Verification• Consider checking the identified source of the
statistic listed.
Remember: Always cite the sources you used.
And, give user the complete URL as well as the path and agency name.
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Sources of Information
• Statistical Abstract• Government agencies (local, state, federal)• University centers or departments• Special issues of periodicals• Handbooks and guides• Other major reference sources
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Sources of Information (Cont’d)
• Newspapers, periodicals, and news websites
• Trade associations• Research firms (may be fee-based)
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• Select the tab for the PDF Version (table of contents are displayed, with page number ranges).
• Browse the Index • Introductory material at the beginning of chapters
can provide useful summaries and sources• Or, from the right column, select USA Statistics in
Brief (it also has options to download in Excel®)
Statistical Abstract http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
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2009 Statistical Abstract Section 14 Prices
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2009 Statistical Abstract Section 14 Prices
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Statistical AbstractNote: Numbers refer to Tables, not to pages
Statistical Abstract Health Coverage Data
Table 146. Health Insurance Coverage Status by Selected Characteristics: 2005 and 2006Includes breakdown by age, sex, race, and income.Also has categories for Medicaid and Medicare.“Based on Current Population Survey, Annual Social and
Economic Supplement” – below the table title
Footnotes to Table 146
• Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports; Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006, P60-233; issued August 2007. Table HI01 Health Insurance Data, Health Insurance Coverage Status and Type of Coverage by Selected Characteristics: 2006. Table HI02. Health Insurance Coverage Status and Type of Coverage by Selected Characteristics for People in the Poverty Universe: 2006; <http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/
hlthin06.html>
Select for latest information
Link from Statistical Abstract
Links from the White House
Health Care Issues Link
• White House website links to http://www.healthreform.gov/ which has many reports on health care
• Also has links to state reports• Census Bureau website included as source
Health Information from CDC
• CDC conducts many statistical surveys on many health-related topics– CDC website has FastStats, which has
brief data with links to detailed tables– Data here is different than from Census
report on health insurance coverage
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Major Reference Sources and Statistical Databases
• World Almanac• Statistics Sources (pub. by Gale)• Encyclopedia of Business
Information Sources (pub. by Gale)• Statistical Universe• TableBase• Historical Statistics of the U.S.
Statistical Universe• Statistical Universe provides access to American
Statistics Index (ASI), Statistical Reference Index (SRI), and Index to International Statistics (IIS).
• ASI microfiche - HA203 .A84XLibrary has: 1974-2008
• SRI microfiche - HA209.S65X. Library has: 1980-2009
• IIS microfiche - HA154 .I542. Library has: 1991-2009
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Statistical Universe (access to data in ASI)
• Statistical Universe is a comprehensive source of federal statistics. It provides detailed contents notes, abstracts and locator information for statistical reports of general research value issued by the federal government since the mid-1970’s. It also includes direct links to all key statistical data available on federal agency web sites.
Note: to view/search abstracts and contents notes, select “Find a publication”
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Statistical Universe (access to data in SRI and IIS)
• Statistical Universe indexes statistics produced by major international intergovernmental organizations, professional and trade organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, state government agencies, and universities.
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• Select “Find a table”– Search: weather and disasters2d record is: Major U.S. Weather Disasters: 2000
To 2006 [Selected Dates, Estimated Costs And Deaths], Issued By: Bureau of Census Publication Date: October, 2007
select “go to table” to view the table
Statistical Universe Basic Search Example
Statistical Universe Example – Cont’d
• The table was published in the Statistical Abstract.
• Additionally, detailed source information is included at the end of the table– “Source”: U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric
Administration, National Climatic Data Center, Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters 1980-2006 http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/reports/billionz.html
– URL is useful to get current information35
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Climate Data – Additional Info.
• As a depository library (FDLP), the Georgia Tech library has access to more climate information online via the NCDC.– Password information is at the IS desk notebook.
TableBase• TableBase includes tables from articles indexed in
the database Business and Industry. Allows searching by 100 concept terms (such as: defense spending, forecasts, e-commerce) and more than 50 marketing terms (such as: business-to-business, positioning, corporate sponsorship) in almost 100 industries. SIC code searching is also available.– Its unique feature is that the “titles” in a result list
are the table titles in an article (a key attribute because many article titles are vague and non- descriptive).
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Historical Statistics of the U.S.
• Historical Statistics of the U.S. is a standard source for data on all aspects of American history. The Millennial Edition is divided into five sections broadly covering: population, work and welfare, economic structure and performance, economic sectors, and governance and international relations.
• Includes over 37,000 data series and statistics from more than 1,000 sources.
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Historical Statistics of the U.S• Historical Statistics of the United States,
Colonial Times to 1970 (U.S. Census Bureau) – Tech library has access to this in paper (as a
government document) and online.– Link to the publicly available government website
(material in pdf only)– Information included (and searchable) in the
Historical Statistics of the U.S Millennial Edition online via Cambridge Univ. Press
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University Source – Selig Center at UGA
• Selig Center for Economic Growth http://www.terry.uga.edu/selig/– Georgia Statistical Abstract (biennial)– Georgia Business and Economic Conditions
(quarterly; online only now)– Georgia Economic Outlook (annual)– Georgia Housing Permits (annual)– Housing Units Authorized by Building Permits
(monthly)
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“Publications”
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Sources of Information – University Research Guides
• Government Information – Georgia Techhttp://library.gatech.edu/guides/
• Government Information - Rosenfeld Library, UCLA Anderson School of Management http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x14415.xml
• Government Documents Statistics Guide (select link to “Statistical Reference Compendiums”). University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library http://guides.lib.umich.edu/statref
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UCLA’s Rosenfeld Library
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Government Documents Statistics Guide University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library
Select this
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Government Documents Statistics Guide
19 pages (Excel®) arranged by broad category
Agency/department websites – Categories with statistics
• Data• Research• Reports• Publications• Statistics• News Room or Press Room• Site map (if you have the report name)
Congressional Budget Office – “Publications” http://www.cbo.gov/publications/
Possible statistics on many topics
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Additional Sources of Information
• Trade Associations– ASCE
• Report Card for America’s Infrastructure– Report focuses on bridges and contains statistics
on structurally deficient bridges and cites federal agency for more detailed information
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American Society of Civil
Engineers-- 2009 Report Card for
America's Infrastructure
http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org
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According to the DOT, 12.1% of bridges are structurally
deficient. Look for “Sources”at end of web page.
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Go to BTS website http://www.bts.gov/
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/‘“Publications & Statistics”
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Bureau of Transportation website“Popular Links” as well as many other statistics
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Explanatory “Notes” and “Sources” at the end of the BTS table. Links to more detailed bridge
information
NOTES: Explanations for the terms Structurally Deficient and Functionally Obsolete can be found on pages 14 and 15 in Chapter 3 of the Federal Highway Administration, 2006 Conditions and Performance Report, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2006cpr/pdfs/chap3.pdf.
…SOURCES:1990-2000: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology
Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics; based on data from Federal Highway Administration, Office of Bridge Technology, National Bridge Inventory (NBI), personal communication, Aug. 14, 2001 and Apr. 24, 2008.
2001-08: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Bridge Technology, National Bridge Inventory (NBI), Count of Bridges by Highway System, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/britab.htm as of Mar. 18, 2009.
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Deficient Bridges by State and Highway System
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/deficient.cfm
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Is Atlanta the Busiest Airport?• News releases (use as starting point)
– Atlanta airport web page news release– Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
• FAA web site – ATADS (Air Traffic Activity Data System Guide for Airport Operations)
• Statistics can differ on each site; see explanatory descriptions and definitions
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BTS press release
Monthly statistics - Enplanements
BTS main page may be useful
Click on Snapshots: Airport
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1
Atlanta is #1 in 3 measures
63Look for report on FAA web site
FAA web page
“Air Traffic Activity System (ATADS)”
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Title cited in press release
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Government Databases Technical Reports
These reports often contain statistics and supporting narrative
• NTIS (CSA) (library subscription)• Energy Citations Database• DTIC Public Technical Reports• NASA Technical Reports Server• National Environmental Publications Internet
Site (NEPIS)• Transportation Research Information Service
(TRIS)
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“Renewable Energy Annual” Go to Energy Information Administration’s
website -- look for report
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Renewable Energy Annual 2007
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See Report’s “Notes” and “Sources” (such as “Monthly Energy Review”)
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Other Government Databases
These databases contain articles as well as reports
• Agricola• ERIC • MedlinePlus (Health Statistics)• science.gov• USGS database
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Other Databases Include Government Statistics
• PAIS International (CSA) 1915+ • Congressional Universe (LexisNexis)
U.S. legislative information from CIS• U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection (U.S.
Government publications 1789 to 1969)• GPO Monthly Catalog (OCLC)• National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) –
Reference Desk• USA Trade Online – Reference Desk
Uniform Crime Reports http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm
• The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program was conceived in 1929 to meet a need for reliable, uniform crime statistics for the nation. In 1930, the FBI was tasked with collecting, publishing, and archiving those statistics. Today, several annual statistical publications, such as the comprehensive Crime in the United States, are produced from data provided by nearly 17,000 law enforcement agencies across the United States.
Finally, one last statistic – from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports
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Acknowledgements
• Selected subject headings of the research guides at UCLA and the Univ. of Michigan were used for this presentation.
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This is a revised and expanded version of the 2009 COMO "Finding Statistics Fast" presentation. It is available along with the accompanying "Finding Statistics" handout, on the "Government Information" Research Guide from the Georgia Tech Library at http://library.gatech.edu/guides/.
Patricia Kenly, Georgia Tech patricia.kenly@library.gatech.edu
Bette Finn, Georgia Tech bette.finn@library.gatech.edu
November 18, 2009
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