Library Research for ENS 553

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Library Research for ENS 553 Research Methods - Find Statistics

Introduction | Federal Statistics | State Statistics

Introduction

Statistics can be compiled by a number of sources, and you will run across statistics when doing research on your topic. However, the government is usually thought of as the main source for statistics, so I will concentrate on governmental sources. (For more detailed information or suggestions for other subjects, please see Find Government Information.)

When looking for statistics, you may have to try several types of sources. If you wanted an entire book of statistical information on a particular topic, you would want to search the book catalog, and the Library of Congress Subject Heading would be:

Topic -- [geographic area] -- Statistics

And sometimes the data you need will be written up in article form, or simply mentioned in an article. If the article's focus is dealing with statistics or statistical analysis, then the keyword statistics or statistical should be present in the record, either as one of the subject headings, or in the summary. So I would suggest adding the term statistic* (assuming that the stemming/truncation symbol for the database is an *.)

Federal Government

The Federal Government compiles statistics on virtually everything, from agriculture to weather. Federal statistics on average either cover the nation as a whole, or break it up into regions, or the 50 states. The major exceptions to this rule is the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which do collect information down to the county and city level.

Each federal agency is responsible for collecting and disseminating statistics. There is no Department of Statistics. Some agencies disseminate more than others, the Census Bureau being the most widely known. If you need statistical information, the first question to ask yourself is what agency would collect my data? Logical choices for environmental issues would be EPA, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, etc.

The number of publications available on the Internet is growing. All of the core compilations of federal statistics are available online. However, this is current information. If you need historical statistics, earlier than 1995, you will probably need to consult the print and microfiche collections of government publications.

Recommendations:

For general searches, or to at least figure out what agency is likely to have your data, try:

FedStats - portal for federal government statistical information available from federal government agencies
LexisNexis Statistical (1973-present) - state, federal and international statistics. Power Tables offers around 30,000 full-text statistics, while Abstracts offers citations to statistical publications, and if available online, a URL is provided. Otherwise, the library has some of the publications in microfiche format, or it is citing a periodical article.
Statistical Abstract of the United States Online [also DOC C 3.134: 1924-present] - First place to look for statistics; published annually by Census Bureau with over 1500 tables of statistics gathered from all agencies and other organizations. Source at the bottom of each table, so if you cannot find exactly the information sought, at least you should be able to find out what agency will collect that particular data. If from non-governmental sources, they may or may not have further information on their website. (If it's a trade association or marketing firm, they are very likely to charge for the data. Non-profit organizations would be more willing to share.)

For demographic statistics (population, income, etc.), use:

Census2000 tools from the Census Bureau. See Census Data for detailed information on using census tools.

Selected subject compilations:

Agricultural Statistics [also DOC A 1.47:1946-present] - From the National Agricultural Statistics Service, agricultural production and marketing data.
Annual Energy Review [also DOC E 3.1/2:1985-1998]- From the Energy Information Administration, energy reserves, production, consumption, distribution, prices, technology, and related international, economic, and financial matters
Health, United States [also DOC HE 20.7042/6: 1975-present] - From the National Center for Health Statistics, data on the nature and extent of the health, illness, and disability of the U.S. population, as well as family formation, growth, and dissolution (marriages and divorces); and vital events (i.e., births and deaths).

State and Local Statistics

While most of the time you would think to look in statistical sources from the federal government, occasionally you need to find information at the county or city level, or information that would be compiled only by the state. Frequently the federal statistical sources only include data at the state level (the major exceptions being the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics). State publications are therefore the next logical step to finding statistics closer to home.

There is no state agency responsible for accumulating and disseminating all statistical information. Instead, it is decentralized, with each agency responsible for collecting its own data and sharing this data with the public. If you need statistical information, the first question to ask yourself is what agency would collect my data? Try the general compilations to determine the state agency that compiles information on your topic. If you have already located federal statistics, state data may be collected by the state equivalent to the federal agency.