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How To Locate Statistical Sources

Since so much statistical information is published each year, this handout can provide only a general overview to the sources that are available. Government agencies and businesses offer an extensive array of statistical information. (For a discussion of U.S. government statistical publications, see #2 and #10 below.) In addition, newspapers and magazines often contain valuable statistics. (See the handouts, HOW TO LOCATE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES and HOW TO LOCATE PERIODICAL ARTICLES, found in the handout rack near the reference desk.) Since statistical data vary greatly in quality, detail, and reliability, you should always carefully evaluate your statistics before incorporating them into your research. The three R's of statistics might help you in your evaluation. They are:

  1. relevancy (do the statistics really say what you want them to say?),
  2. reliability (who compiled the statistics, and for what reason?), and
  3. recency (when were the data compiled?).

ONLINE RESOURCES

Subscription Databases: The following are electronic databases to which the University subscribes. They offer a broad range of statistical information.

Stat-USA - This database contains an extensive collection of business, economic, social and trade statistics. It includes the National Trade Data Bank. It is available only in the University Library. Please ask at the reference desk for assistance in accessing this database.

Fact Search - This is a guide to statistical statements on current social, economic, political, environmental and health issues, derived from some newspapers, periodicals, newsletters and documents such as the Christian Science Monitor, the Congressional record, Congressional Hearings, Daily Press Briefings of the White House, State Department and Department of Defense, and Australian, British and Canadian Parliamentary Debates.

Popline - This database provides international information on population, family planning, and related health issues.

Internet Resources: A variety of links to statistical Web sites can be found on the University Libraries' Web site in the Statistical Sources section of the Reference Collection. Included are links to sites that provide statistics about health, government, population, economics, and many other subjects.

STATISTICAL SOURCES IN PRINT

Following are specific statistical sources that can be found in the University Library's collection. If the information is available online as well as in print, the web address is indicated.

  1. To find recent GENERAL DATA on demographics, economics, education, politics, etc., begin with a general almanac, such as:

    1. The World Almanac and Book of Facts [Ref AY 67 N5 W7; 1918+; Latest issue shelved in Ready Reference]
      Also available through FirstSearch on the Libraries' Web site under Databases & E-Texts.

    2. Information Please Almanac [Ref AY 64 I65; 1957+; Latest issue shelved in Ready Reference]

    2. Both are easy to use, contain extensive indexes, and provide relatively recent statistical information.

  2. To find even more detailed statistical information about the UNITED STATES , use:

    1. Statistical Abstract of the United States (SAUS)
      [Ref HA 202; 1878+; Latest issue shelved in Ready Reference] Since 1995, also available online [http://www.census.gov/statab/www/] as a PDF file (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

      SAUS brings together statistical information from a wide variety of U.S. government sources (some unpublished). Each chart indicates the source for the information. SAUS also plots demographic and economic trends, and provides a detailed discussion of its statistical methodology.

  3. To find very DETAILED U.S. STATISTICS on specialized topics, consult:

    1. American Statistics Index (ASI) [GOVDOC / Ref Z 7554 U5 A46; l974+; Shelved on the Government Documents Index Table]

      ASI provides detailed statistics compiled from U.S. government sources. Instruction on using ASI can be found on the government documents index table. Documents indexed in ASI are available in microfiche in the ASI fiche collection (located in the East wing of the Government Documents Area). The library receives on fiche all non-depository items in ASI. We also have many depository items in paper copy. See a reference librarian for assistance in locating these government documents. (A depository item has a bullet " before the Superintendent of Document's call number; a non-depository item lacks this bullet).

    2. the online catalog, Minerva, using "--United States--Statistics" as a subject heading subheading. For example: Divorce--United States--Statistics.

    3. the Monthly Catalog, Subject Catalog [Government Documents Index Table]

      Use "--United States--Statistics" as a subheading. Note that the Monthly Catalog indexes monographs (books and pamphlets) published by the federal government. It does not provide access to articles appearing in U.S. government periodicals. For these, consult ASI.

    4. See #10 below

  4. To find DETAILED BUSINESS STATISTICS , consult:

    1. American Statistics Index (ASI) [See #3a above]

    2. Statistical Reference Index (SRI)
      [Ref / Index HA 195 Z999 S78x; 1980+; Shelved in the Index and Abstract Area]

      SRI works the same as ASI, except it indexes state and business publications (reports, magazines, pamphlets, etc.). The library began subscribing to the SRI fiche in 1987. For documents indexed in the pre-1987 editions of SRI consult the Abstract Section of SRI, which contains full bibliographic citations. You can use these citations to locate the materials in our library or order them from another library through Interlibrary Loan.

    3. the Business section of the University Libraries' Subject Pages & Guides web site.

    4. See #10a and 10b below

  5. To find HISTORICAL STATISTICS for the UNITED STATES, use:

    1. Historical Statistics of the United States From Colonial Times to 1970
      [Ref HA 202 B87 1975] Also on CD-ROM [IMC/CMEDIA HA 202 B872x 1997]

    2. United States Historical Census Data Browser. Covers 1790-1960.

    3. previous issues of Statistical Abstract of the United States (SAUS) [See #2 above]

  6. To find statistical information about NEW YORK STATE , use:

    1. New York State Statistical Yearbook
      [Ref HA 544 A2; 1967+; Latest issue shelved in Ready Reference]

    2. the online catalog, Minerva, (see paragraph below for tips)

    3. the New York State web page

    To find compilations of statistics on New York covering a variety of topics, use "New York--Statistics" as your subject heading in the online catalog. To locate statistics on a single topic, use "--New York State--Statistics" as a subject heading subheading in the online catalog. For example: Divorce--New York State--Statistics.

  7. To find statistical information about OTHER STATES , use:

    1. Statistical Reference Index [See #4b above]

    2. the online catalog, Minerva
      [See #6b above; substitute your state for "New York State".
      For example: Divorce--Nebraska--Statistics]

  8. To find general statistical information for FOREIGN NATIONS , consult:

    1. a general almanac [See #1 above]

    2. the Europa World Year Book
      [JN l E85; l960+; Latest two issues shelved in Reference]

    3. Statesman's Yearbook
      [JA 5l S7; l909+; Latest two issues shelved in Reference; latest issue shelved in Ready Reference]

    4. the CIA's World Factbook [GOVDOC / Ref J 85 PREX 3.15:] Also available online.

    Both the Statesman's Yearbook and the Europa World Year Book contain recent and detailed information on the nations of the world, their economies, educational systems, and political systems. The Europa World Year Book (published in England) provides better coverage of Asia and Africa, whereas the Statesman's Yearbook (published in the United States) provides more detailed coverage of the New World. The World Factbook contains statistical information gathered by the CIA for all countries of the world.

  9. For very DETAILED INFORMATION on FOREIGN NATIONS , consult:

    1. a national statistical compendium [Located in the Government Documents microfiche cabinet #18]

    2. a foreign almanac

      You can locate almanacs published in other countries through the online catalog, using the inverted form of the entry. For example, to find a French almanac, use "Almanacs, French" as your subject in the online catalog. Two of the more widely used foreign almanacs are:

      1. the Canadian Almanac and Directory. [Ref AY 414 C2; 1992+; Shelved in Reference]

      2. Whitaker's (British) Almanack [Ref AY 754 W5; l960+; Shelved in Reference]

    3. Index to International Statistics (IIS) [GOVDOC / Ref HA l54 I53x; l983+; Shelved on the Government Documents Index Table]

      IIS works the same as ASI (see #3a above), except that it indexes statistics published by inter-government agencies, such as the U.N. The IIS fiche collection can be found in the East wing of the Government Documents Section of the library. Instructions on using IIS can be found on the Government Documents Index Table.

    4. U.N. Statistical Yearbook
      [* HA 12.5 U63; 1948+; Latest five issues shelved in Reference] Previous issues shelved in the oversized collection.

    5. Demographic Yearbook (U.N.)
      [* HA 17 D45; 1948+; Latest five issues on Reserve] Previous issues shelved in the oversized collection.

    6. International Trade Statistics Yearbook (U.N.)
      [* HF 91 U476; l983+; Latest issue shelved in Reference] Previous issues shelved in the oversized collection.

    Although these U.N. sources provide very detailed statistics, they are often several years behind in publication.

  10. Many U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS contain detailed statistical information. The quickest way to access this information is through the ASI index. (See #3a .) The library subscribes to many statistical publications published by the federal government. These are also included in the ASI index and the ASI microfiche collection. Some of the more heavily used government publications are:

    1. Monthly Labor Review
      [Per HD 8051 A78; 1934+; Located in the periodicals room]
      Also available online as a PDF file (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

      The Monthly Labor Review details statistics on business growth, production, and employment.

    2. Survey of Current Business (SCB)
      Available in print [Call number varies, currently J 85. C59.ll; 1976+; Shelved in Government Documents Area]
      Also available on CD-ROM [GOVDOC / CMEDIA J 85 C59.11/1] and on the Web as a PDF file (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

      SCB provides detailed information about wages, employment, taxes, import and export activities, business growth, etc.

    3. Uniform Crime Reports for the United States (UCR)
      [J 85.J1.14/7:; 1950+ (with issues missing, semiannual 1951-57; annual 1958+;
      Shelved in Government Documents Area] Also available online.

      Published by the Justice Department, UCR provides detailed crime statistics for cities with a population of at least 25,000. Included is information on law enforcement personnel, crime by age and sex, victim profiles, etc.

    4. Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics Online

      Published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics through the University at Albany, this contains more than 600 tables of criminal justice statistics.

    The "Government Information" section of the University Libraries' Reference Collection web page provides links to a number of sites containing statistics.

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Revised 9/2001
Last Reviewed 3/2006
Comments to tjacobson@uamail.albany.edu
This page is maintained by Carol Anne Germain
Comments to cgermain@uamail.albany.edu