Writing with Numbers Workshop--NNN 2008
Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH
May 2008
Paula Lackie, Heather Tompkins, Kristin Partlo
- Statistical Compendia
- Indexes and Search Engines
- Course Guide Examples
- Data Collections and Archives
Data professionals support student writing with numbers in these ways:
- Help students understand a broad array of sources available for finding, accessing, and using data
- Clarify whether or not you or your institution have access to particular resources
- Maintain awareness of new and emerging resources
- Uncover difficult to access and "hidden" data that are offline
Statistical Compendia: Quick Numbers and Guides to Sources
United States, General
- Statistical Abstract of the United States
Free web version
Check your local library for print access.
"The national data book." - Historical Statistics of the United States
Check your local library for online access or print provided by your library. - Census Factfinder
Free web access
Census data, especially good for finding information about a particular place. - County and City Data Book
Free web access
Check your local library catalog for print copies.
Free web version
Check your local library for print access.
Check your local library for online access or print provided by your library.Specialized Compendia, Examples
- Digest of Education Statistics
Free web access
Check your local library for print: ED 1.140 - Crime in the United States
Free web access
Check your local library catalog for print copies.
International Statistical Compendia
- EarthTrends Free registration required for web access
- OECD Factbook Free online access Check your local library catalog for print copies.
- UN Common Database (UNCDB) Free web access
- UN Statistical Yearbook
Check your local library catalog for availability. - Maplecroft Maps Free web access
- Penn World Tables Free web access
- Europa World Yearbook
Check your local library catalog for availability. - World Development Indicators
Check your local library for online access or print provided by your library.
Statistical Compendia of Other Countries
- Annuaire Statistique de la France
Check your local library catalog for availability. - Eurostat Free web access
- Statistical Agencies and Electoral Resources
List of links to national statistical agencies - Foreign Government Statistical Sources
Another list of links to national statistical sources
Indexes and Search Engines to Statistical Publications
- LexisNexis Statistical Check for online access provided by your library.
Emerging sites of interest
- A colleague's customized Google search engine (CSE) for data
- Another colleague's customized Google search engine (CSE) for data
- Data 360
- Many Eyes
- Swivel
- Graphwise
More of what your data professionals can do to support student writing with numbers:
- Maintain annotated guides to research for students & other researchers
- Visit your classroom to teach particular resources and strategies to students
- Help students understand why and how to cite data accurately
- Offer ideas for integrating data and information literacy into assignments
Course Guide Examples from Carleton
- FREN 309: Beyond Words: The Fine Art of Writing
- HIST 110/ENGL 109: Pacific War
- GEO/ENTS 120: Introduction to Environmental Geology
- ECON 278: Industrial Organization and Pricing Policy
- ECON 395: Labor Economics
Local Resources
- Find Data Web site
http://go.carleton.edu/finddata
- Who are your local contacts?
- What resources are available on your campus?
Even more ideas for how data professionals can help:
- Help you manage your accumulating data through its life-cycle
- Assist in creating graphical displays of your data
- Work closely with others on & off campus to get answers to questions
Data Collections and Archives
- ICPSR
Consult a data professional at your institution about access to this collection. - Roper Center's iPoll
- Check for online access provided by your library.
- ARDA -- Association of Religion Data Archives
Free web access - CPANDA -- Cultural Policy & the Arts National Data Archive
Free web access
Data Archives: links to catalogs
- CESSDA Data Portal (Council of European Social Science Data Archives)
- European Data Archives
- North American Data Archives
- Other Archives Worldwide
Variable-Level Searching
- ICPSR's Social Science Variables Database
- UK Data Archive
(In the dropdown menu, change "All of Study Description" to "Variables")