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Statistics & Polls

Welcome

Statistical data helps us identify patterns and even create predictions. Surveys (opinion polls), if well-designed, can provide insight into public opinion or perception.  Statistical data can help us make sense of the world, and using statistics can provide powerful support for an argument or position.

This guide is designed to help you find statistics useful in a variety of  fields, business, sociology, etc. Some tips are provided below. The other tabs will help you connect to- 

U.S. Statistics Websites

International Statistics Websites

Books & eBooks

Polls/polling Websites

Strategy for Finding Statistics and Data

Statistics, at our service

"Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.'

Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review

Citing Statistics

Citing data and statistics allows writers to credit data creators and allows readers to find and verify the context of information. 

No matter which citation style you are using, the basic elements remain the same. Citations communicate—

  • Who- Identify what person or organization is responsible for the information
  • When- Indicate the date of publication
  • What- Provide the full title of the document or content including any subtitle, version number, or report number
  • Where- Include the source basics needed to locate the information; distributor or publisher info (the journal title, book publisher, or website publisher), the URL or DOI if accessed online, and a retrieval date when needed