Tip: Find Data with this Book
The Reference Guide to Data Sources by Publication Date: 2014This concise sourcebook takes the guesswork out of locating the best sources of data, a process more important than ever as the data landscape grows incresingly cluttered. Much of the most frequently used data can be found free online, and this book shows readers how to look for it with the assistance of user-friendly tools.
U.S. Demographics
- Census.govThe Census Bureau is the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.
- National Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education. FInd U.S. data sets about pre-kindergarten through college education.
- Social Explorer (1790 to present) This link opens in a new windowAccess to data from the U.S. Census, American Community Survey, religious congregations, and other sources, with options to create thematic and interactive maps and reports.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowStatistical tables and charts covering various aspects of social, political and economic conditions of the United States.
U.S. Survey Data
- iPOLL This link opens in a new windowContains survey questions and answers asked in the US over the last 70+ years by more than 150 polling organizations. Create a personal registration for access to full features.
- ICPSR: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research This link opens in a new windowWorld's largest archive of computerized social science data, with abstracts and data.
- General Social SurveySince 1972, the General Social Survey (GSS) has provided politicians, policymakers, and scholars with a clear and unbiased perspective on what Americans think and feel about such issues as national spending priorities, crime and punishment, intergroup relations, and confidence in institutions.
International Data
- China Data Online This link opens in a new windowIncludes monthly and yearly reports on national, regional, and local macroeconomics, as well as statistical yearbooks and census data.
- China Statistical Yearbooks (CSYD) This link opens in a new window
Digital repository of statistical and census data published officially by the mainland Chinese government. China Data Insight English-language platform is not currently available.
- OECD iLibrary This link opens in a new windowDigital collection of journals, working papers, e-books, and data sets produced by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development; accessible resources include the OECD Journal, Main Economic Indicators (1999-), OECD Economic Outlook (1967-), and OECD Economic Surveys (1961-).
- WDI Online (1960 to present) This link opens in a new windowWorld Development Indicators providing international social and economic statistics from the World Bank.
- World Values SurveyThe WVS consists of nationally representative surveys conducted in almost 100 countries which contain almost 90 percent of the world’s population, using a common questionnaire. The WVS is the largest non-commercial, cross-national, time series investigation of human beliefs and values ever executed, currently including interviews with almost 400,000 respondents.