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POLI 691H: Honors Seminar in Research Design: Selected Data & Statistics

Remember

You may not be able to find exactly what you'd like.  Be prepared to be flexible on one or more of your question elements.

 

Contact Michele if you need help finding something>>>>>

Finding Data - Strategies

  • Define the specific elements of your question:  time, geography and subject matter.
  • Consider what organizations might pay for data collection on your topic.
    • government (international, national, state, local...)
    • trade associations
    • non-profits
    • academe (directly from a researcher or indirectly from a repository)
  • Read the literature for possible sources, but beware that sources noted in articles may not be openly available.
  • Will data be costly in terms of money or time to obtain?  Do you have the requisite knowledge to manipulate it?
  • Cite your data to make them easier for others to find.  (The linked site provides guidelines for how to format data citations.)

Special Case: Federal Data

NOTE:  Federal government datasets are in flux right now.  If you have trouble finding something, please have a look this guide for finding alternative sources, or contact Michele.

Data Links

Text Analysis Sources

Understanding Data

  • Read the technical documentation!
  • Consider the purpose for which data were collected, and their limitations.
  • Ask the experts (both about finding and understanding data).

Data Services Librarian

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Michele Hayslett
My pronouns are she, her, hers.
Contact:
Subjects
Data Management
Numeric Data
Census Data
Locating Data

If you would like to request we acquire data, please carefully read the guidelines at http://library.unc.edu/data/purchase/.

Website
Social: YouTube Page

Getting Help

Virtual Workshops

Library Data Services Events: data visualization software, web mapping, Census data, scripting

Odum Institute Short Courses: survey methodology, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, statistical computing (vary whether online or in person)