Research Guides: POLT 900: Political Science Pro-Seminar (UNH Durham): Statistics & Data

Research Methods

SAGE Research Methods This link opens in a new window
Supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process. Its library has books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by academics from across the social sciences. The site is designed to guide users to the content they need to learn a little or a lot about their method.

Statistics

Statistics are available from many sources discussed elsewhere in ths guide: government agencies, IGOs, NGOs, charitable organizations, researchers, etc.

Statistical Databases

Statista: The Statistics Portal This link opens in a new window
Tool for researching quantitative data, statistics and related information.
Statistical Abstract of the US This link opens in a new window
Is a comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the US. Dates of coverage: 2013-current
Statistical Insight This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive access to statistical information from federal agencies, research organizations, international organizations, commercial publishers and associations. Provides abstracts of statistical publications and links to the full-text for selected publications.

Census Quick Facts
Provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more.
Census Data
Demographic, economic, housing, employment, income, and other information for US communities
Simple and advanced search options, data profiles, and visualizations available.
New Hampshire Community Profiles
Information on the 234 incorporated cities and towns in NH. Data presented here comes from a variety of sources, including community response, published reports, and maps.

Polling the Nations This link opens in a new window
Database of public opinion polls containing the full text of questions and responses, from surveys, conducted in the United States and other countries around the world. Dates of coverage: 1986-current
World Development Indicators Data Catalog This link opens in a new window
World Development Indicators (WDI) is the primary World Bank database for development data from officially-recognized international sources for more than 180 countries. Other databases provide information on external debt and financial flow data, governance issues, education, health, gender, and more.
Europa World This link opens in a new window
Find statistics on population, the economy, health & welfare, finance (including government expenditures), and education
IMF Data This link opens in a new window
Provides access to International Financial Statistics, Balance of Payment Statistics, Government Finance Statistics, and Direction of Trade Statistics. View and download predefined data reports or create and share your own views of IMF data.

Other Starting Points

Information on National Statistical Systems
Links to national statistical offices websites are organized by continent, then alphabetical by country. From the UN
International Programs - US Census Bureau
U.S. Census Bureau conducts demographic, economic, and geographic studies of other countries.

Data

Selected sources of data that may be re-used:

Data.gov
Data.gov provides metadata (descriptions) for Federal datasets, information about how to access the datasets, and tools that leverage government datasets. Federal and Executive Branch data are included in the first version of Data.gov.

ICPSR This link opens in a new window
This data archive acquires, processes, and provides access to social science data for research and instruction. ICPSR data cover many disciplines, including political science, sociology, history, economics, gerontology, demography, criminal justice, public health, education, law, and international relations.

Note: Users must register for an account. Current UNH students, faculty, and staff only are eligible for direct downloading of all datasets. Set up ICPSR MyData login account by clicking on the link in the upper left corner of the page.

OpenDOAR - Directory of Open Access Repositories
OpenDOAR is an authoritative directory of academic open access repositories. Each OpenDOAR repository has been visited by project staff to check the information that is recorded here.

For easy mapping of data:

PolicyMap This link opens in a new window
This Geographic Information System tool is for those who need to visualize large amounts of data quickly and easily, even down to the census tract or block group level. Included is an extensive data collection, with indicators organized into general categories including demographics, income and spending, housing, lending activity, quality of life, economy, education, health, federal guidelines, and other analytics.