Research Guides: CSI 2696: Risk Communication: Find Data

Why Use Data?

Data is raw information. Data or data sets are primary sources that are the result of research studies or surveys. Statistics are the collection, organization, interpretation, and analysis of data. Statistics are found in tables, graphs, and charts.

When and Why You Should Use Data:

You need to clarify and put arguments into perspective
You need to identify trends, outliers, and patterns across seemingly disparate topics
You need demographic information about trends in local communities, across states, or at the national level

Remember: Data alone can't make the argument for you. Treat data as evidence that requires interpretation. Data is only as good as the people who create it, the quality of their work, and how well they relay their personal or organizational bias.

Statistics and Data

Data | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Includes links to the CDC's many portals and affiliated sites by topic.
Data | Environmental Protection Agency
Includes links to the EPA's various portals and topic-level data.
FDA Data Dashboard
Contains data elements from FDA compliance and enforcement data sources, including Inspections, Compliance Actions, Recalls, Imports, and Food Safety Modernization Act programs.

data.census.gov
Contains statistical data (population, housing, economy, and more) for specific states and cities.
Statista
Statista provides access to quantitative facts by market sector, encompassing agriculture, finance, and politics, and others. Statista is a statistics portal that integrates thousands of diverse topics of data and facts from a wide range of sources onto a single platform. Sources of information include market research, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases.
PolicyMap
Policy Map provides a simple mechanism for visualizing data. Available data includes demographics, home sale statistics, health data, mortgage trends, school performance scores and labor data like unemployment, crime statistics and city crime rates. Look in the Health and Quality of Life categories to map variables related to risk.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
Statistical Abstract of the United States (1878-2012)
Statistical Abstract of the United States provides a collection of statistics on the social, political and economic conditions of the United States.