- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Research Guides
- Finding Social Science Data for Research
- Data vs. Statistics
Finding Social Science Data for Research : Data vs. Statistics
Data
Defined as:
- "Disaggregated" collection of observations with one or more characteristics
- Generally require manipulation or extraction using utilities
- Can be values or observations of characteristics "numerically coded"
- Raw material for statistics
From: McCaffrey, Mike. “International Statistics: Helping Library Users Understand the Global Community.” Presentation at the American Library Association’s Government Information Round Table Pre-Conference, International Statistics: Helping Library Users Understand the Global Community, Chicago, IL, June 28, 2013.
Statistics
Defined as:
- "Aggregated" and tabulated or cross-tabulated tallies based on data
- Counts, tallies, totals, "averages"
- Can be found in print or electronically
- Normally used as they are presented or retrieved
- "Facts numerically represented"
From: McCaffrey, Mike. “International Statistics: Helping Library Users Understand the Global Community.” Presentation at the American Library Association’s Government Information Round Table Pre-Conference, International Statistics: Helping Library Users Understand the Global Community, Chicago, IL, June 28, 2013.
Subject specialists
Please contact one of us if you need assistance in finding social science data.
Lu Chou, Senior Special Librarian, DISC
Thomas Durkin, Anthropology, Folklore, & Sociology Librarian
Charlie Fiss, Senior Special Librarian, DISC
Beth Harper, Government Information Reference Librarian, Memorial Library