Sociology Resources  Tags: sociology  

Understanding the difference between statistics and data is an important first step is selecting the right resource. 

On the most basic level it will help to think of  data as the entire collection of information gathered during the process of a survey.  A statistic takes that data and refines it down to a single number or percentage in order to answer a specific question - such as "what is the median age of Vanderbilt freshmen".

As a general rule of thumb:

• If what you need is a number to back up your argument, then a statistic will probably do.
• If, on the other hand, you need to manipulate the information to answer a new or different question, you will likely need to get your hands on some data.

If your coursework or research requires that you work with secondary data, ICPSR will be a good place to start. 

The ICPSR database provides access to the data, codebooks, and sometimes the questionaires used in conducting the survey. 

 For more detailed information on how to search ICPSR and access the data see the consult the following guide:

• Finding & Using Data from ICPSR

Working with data across multiple years can be challenging.  This can be especially true when working with the Current Population Surveys (CPS). 

To make accessing this data easier, the Central Library has the Utilities CD-ROM available to checkout. Highlights of the CDROM include:

• access to the CPS Annual Demographic for the years 1962-2001
• abiltiy to search for variables and time-series analysis of the data
• ability to extract data for use directly to Stata or extracted and coded for use with SAS or SPSS

Ask for CDROM 356 at the Government Information & Media Desk on the 4th Floor.

If you need more help with data for your research contact:

Sue Erickson, Data Services Librarian (322-1055)

This  visually interesting presentation by Swedish professer Hans Rosling highlights offers new ways to think about statistical information.

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