Data Sources

Data Introduction

Data is the collected values or facts that may be interpreted and allow insight into a particular topic. Data can be qualitative or quantitative but ultimately it's purpose is to explain or explore ideas and issues. For that reason, data can be extremely valuable to a wide range of people and entities. If you want to dig into a phenomenon, you want data. Data can be analyzed and interpreted using data analysis to answer “why” or “how” and further our knowledge.

Raw Data = The direct result of research that was conducted as part of a study or survey. It is considered a primary source and is usually stored digitally. It may require data cleaning to be usable.

Open Data = A term to categorize data that is openly accessible, freely used, re-used, modifiable, and can be redistributed; sometimes with the condition of attribution.

Ideas for Finding Data

1. Define your data needs.

   • What: What type of data do you need (spreadsheets, interview transcripts, social media posts, photographs, etc.)?
   • Where: Is the data tied to a specific location (city, county, state, regional, etc.)?
   • When: Is there a time frame you're interested in? (1914-1918, 2000s, last 3 years, etc.)?
   • How: Do you want the data to be broken down in categories (sex, age, income, ethnicity, industry)?

2. Think about who might collect the data. Oftentimes, datasets are published with reports or in data repositories.

   • Government agencies
   • Nonprofits
   • Private Business
   • Academic Researcher

3. Look for publications that cite the dataset.

   • Scholarly Article
   • Government Report
   • Grey Literature

Once you know the dataset exists, confirm whether you have access and space to download the data. If it's not freely available, please check with a librarian to determine if the library subscribes to the database. Some researchers also take data requests, so feel free to reach out to them.