SCSU Hilton C. Buley Library: Communication, Media, and Screen Studies: Statistics

Finding and Using Statistics

Properly used, statistics can add weight and interest to your news story. It is important, however, to find current and accurate sources. Before trusting the numbers you find be sure that they:

are from a credible source,
were properly collected and clearly reported,
are relevant to the time period in question.

Finding Statistics Online

You can find statistics in almost any article in any database, but the following list of databases and websites contain statistics on all manner of subjects. For even more suggestions of where to find statistics, please see the Datasets Research Guide.

Statista This link opens in a new window
CenStats This link opens in a new window
United States U.S. US Census Bureau Age Sex Ancestry Births Children Commuting Computer Internet Use Congressional Deaths Disability Employment Educational Equal Employment Opportunity Families Living Arrangements Fertility Foreign-Born Genealogy Geographical Mobility Migration Health Insurance Hispanic Origin Housing Immigration Income Industry Occupation International Statistics Labor Force Language Marriage Divorce Metropolitan Population Poverty Race Redistricting Voting Rights Same Sex Couples School Districts Enrollment Income Veterans Registration Wealth Asset Ownership Well-Being Economy Construction Governments Manufacturing Retail Trade Services Wholesale Expenses E-Commerce Export Codes Economic Studies NAICS NAPCS Small Business Enterprise Women Minorities Veterans Indicators Trade Local Geography Maps Data Employment dynamics economic indicators foreign trade economic census business patters EasyStats
Home page of the United States Census Bureau with access to all the statistics on population, income, racial diversity, etc. gathered by the government.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Reports background chronology current events tables maps pro/con opposing hot topics Agriculture Arts Culture Sports Business Economics Defense National Security Education Employment Labor Energy Environment Climate Natural Resources Government Budget Taxes Health Housing Development Human Rights International Relations Trade Law Justice Media Personal Family Relations Religion Science Technology Social Movements Services Disabilities Transportation United States U.S. Congress Presidency Supreme Court Judicial System War Conflict finance manufacturing investment inflation insurance retail small business
1923 - January 31, 2013. CQ Researcher is noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Reports include an introductory overview; background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; pro/con statements from representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.
Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
Mergent Online delivers a comprehensive suite of financial information, providing access to one of the most complete historical financial databases ever assembled with just a few mouse clicks.
corporate industry global equity finance financial statements
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale) This link opens in a new window
pro con argument persuasive taking sides statistics images photos
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center is a one-stop source for information on today's hottest social issues. OVRC features viewpoint articles, topic overviews, full-text magazine, academic journal, and newspaper articles, primary source documents, statistics, images and podcasts, and links to Websites.

Print Resources

Use the library's catalog, S outhernSearch, to find print resources containing statistics. In Advanced Search, you can use keywords for your topic plus "statistics" to narrow your search. For example, traffic and statistics or education and statistics. If you know the agency that produces the statistics, such as the Connecticut Department of Public Health, add that to your search as well.