Micah Altman and Gary King have written a paper on the lack of standards for reliably citing, accessing, and finding quantitative data. The paper, entitled “A Proposed Standard for the Scholarly Citation of Quantitative Data,” can be read here, but first read this post that sets up the problem nicely.
Exploring Data Through Research Literature EDRL is a learning module that uses ICPSR’s Bibliography of Data-Related Literature to teach students about the relationships between datasets, their authors, and the community of scholarship in which they emerge.
Investigating Community and Social Capital “An instructional site that teaches data analysis of social capital, as discussed in Robert D. Putnam’s Bowling Alone.” (quoted from home page) Five exercises that use major sources of Putnam’s data (the General Social Survey and other life style surveys) help students develop data analysis skills. This rich site includes…
The Russell Sage Foundation has published a series of books of social science research that utilize Census data. The following are books from the series held in the Carleton or St. Olaf libraries. View the complete list at the Russell Sage Foundation web site. The Politics of Numbers. 1987. By William Alonso. CC Books HA37.U55…
The World Bank web site offers a helpful Statistical Manual, which provides definitions and methodological discussions of statistics collected by the World Bank and other institutions concerned with comparative international data. Their abstract: “The Statistical Manual brings together definitions of and explanations of the relationships between concepts used in economic statistics such as the balance…
GEsource – World Guide – GIS Application – 2005 European Data An interactive map of Europe using 2005 CIA World Factbook data. Good for: Visualizing publicly accessible socioeconomic data about Europe. It’s a little tricky to learn, but some of the visualization tools are excellent for demonstrating the relationships between statistics and mapping. Geographic coverage:…
The Academic Commons blog brought my attention to a special issue HumanIT devoted to dynamic maps in research. It is a Swedish publication, but this issue is in English. Of special note is an article about dynamic maps and the humantities.
Maplecroft’s Global Maps series announced two new maps today. Maplecroft’s Global map of aid explores the contributions made by developed country governments and their role in development, specifically the Millennium Development Goals. It is intimately linked with the map of debt through the issue of debt relief, the advantages and disadvantages of which are discussed…
The NCES web site is an abundant source of education data and statistics. Just one example of elegant web delivery of statistical information from their site is the State Education Data Profiles. Each results page offers download and graphing options. Search for statewide information in elementary/secondary education characteristics and finance, postsecondary education, public libraries, assessments,…
CensusScope: Census 2000 Data, Charts, Maps, and Rankings is a great supplement to the United States Census’s FactFinder web site. It’s strength is its graphics which help make Census data more clear and accessible to a wider audience. With just a few clicks, you can view maps, trend lines, charts and rankings for your state,…