Introduction
This guide will help you locate statistics. Please click on a tab above for more specific resources. For more general sources, the "Starting Points" on this page are good places to begin your research.
See Finding Library Materials for more information on how to find materials referenced in this guide.
Reference Books
Don't understand terminology or basic priniciples of statistics? These reference works may be of help.
Reference Web Sites
- ISI Multilingual Glossary of Statistical TermsFrom the International Statistical Institute, contains terms in English, Greek, Arabic, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Chinese, and Farsi
- OECD Glossary of Statistical TermsThis site contains definitions of the main data items collected by the OECD. It also contains definitions of key terminology and concepts and commonly used acronyms.
Starting Points
- Statistical Insight
- NationMasterThis site provides comparative national statistics on a variety of topics. In many cases, statistics can also be displayed as bar graphs, charts, or maps. Data sources include "the CIA World Factbook, United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, World Resources Institute, UNESCO, UNICEF and OECD." The site also offers other sections, such as single-country profiles, an encyclopedia, flags, and more.
- StateMasterThis site provides comparative U.S. state statistics on a variety of topics. In many cases, statistics can also be displayed as bar graphs, charts, or maps. Data sources include the "US Census Bureau, FirstGov.gov, the FBI, Bureau of Justice, and various other governmental and non-profit organizations." The site also offers other sections, such as single-state profiles, flags, and maps.
- Statistical Datasets
- Statistical Datasets - EASI Market Planner EASI Market Planner provides data on consumer demographics and usage/spending patterns for products and services within all states, counties, census tracts, and block groups in the U.S. The data can be mapped, graphed, and analyzed using all the interactive tools available in Statistical DataSets.
Statistical Datasets Help Guide
Other Sources for Finding Statistics
Almanacs, factbooks, and even general treatises may be good sources of statistics. Try searching the Drake Libraries catalog entering statistics in one subject search box and in a separate subject search box (use the drop-down menu to change any box to a subject search), enter the topic on which you are trying to find statistics.
Use a periodical index to locate articles with statistical data. Use statistics as a subject search term in LegalTrac or Index to Legal Periodicals. You may also want to add another subject term or jurisdiction to the search. Additionally, "statistical evidence," "criminal statistics," "judicial statistics," "medical statistics," and "vital statistics" may be useful headings. For more information on locating journal articles, see the Drake Law Library guide Finding Law Review and Journal Articles. Note: If you are looking for statistics related to a non-legal topic, you will want to search a periodical index in that field. One good general academic index is Academic Search Complete.
Organizations and associations may provide statistical information on their Web sites. Asking yourself, "Who is interested in this topic" can suggest valuable resources for finding statistics. For example, the American Bar Association provides statistics on legal education. See the Associations and Conferences section of the Topic Selection research guide to identify relevant organizations. (Make sure you think critically about the source, considering, for instance, the association's purpose and agenda. Click here to read more.)
Searching for a research guide on finding statistics in your topic area can be another effective strategy. In your favorite search engine, try entering your subject and statistics and "research guide." For more hints on finding research guides, see the Drake Law Library guide Finding Legal Research Guides.
Reference Librarian |
 Rebecca Lutkenhaus |
Loading...
