Statistics: Start

Finding statistics can be frustrating, challenging and exciting. You will not find everything you're looking for in a neat and tidy package. Plan to spend a good deal of time sifting through sources to find the statistics you're looking for. Persistence and perseverance can pay off!  When looking for statistics, ask yourself these questions as they'll give you ideas on where to start your search: 

• Who/what would collect statistics on my topic?
  Countless organizations collect data, including governments (federal and local), news organizations, nonprofits, institutes, think tanks, and researchers. To find them, try some online searches: "Health statistics" or "housing statistics." Once you find organizations, however, be sure to evaluate the site. Where do their data come from? Do they seem reliable? Do they report their methodologies (how they collect the data)? Feel free to check with a librarian if you'd like more help vetting sources.

• How would statistics on my topic be made public?
  You can find statistics in a number of places, both in print and online. Many organizations publish statistics on their websites. News articles frequently contain statistics. Researchers will publish their statistics in books and journals. Keep in mind that not every statistic is publicly available, however. 

Remember to be flexible! The statistics you're looking for might not have been collected exactly how you envision. The question asked by the original researchers might not be framed the same way you are framing your inquiry. Or the data may not be as nuanced as you would like (for instance, you might find statistics about dog ownership but not specifically chocolate lab ownership). Go into it with an open mind. See what statistics exist and use what you find to shape your inquiry and approach.

In addition to the resources on this guide, you may also want to look at more of our online research guides for your area of study, as the guides may contain additional information about statistics. For example, if you're looking for health statistics, consult the Health & Exercise Sciences research guide or Nursing research guide, which will outline ways and places to find information in those related areas.

This guide is a starting point and designed to give you ideas of the kinds of places that publish statistics on various topics. It is definitely not comprehensive, so please don't hesitate to ask a librarian for further assistance.

While some of their information on these guides, which come from other libraries, might be restricted, a lot of the information you'll find on these guides is publicly available.