Statistics
& Data
An Overview
Jeff Moon
Data Librarian & Academic Director,
Queen’s Research Data Centre
http://www.ari.org/App_Content/ahri/images/Statistics/canstockphoto7351376-landingpage.jpg
http://www.optimizesmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/fear-of-statstics.jpg
http://www.doughroller.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Fears-Sign.jpg
And besides, statistics can come in
handy…
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So, what do we mean by
‘statistics’
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What do we mean by ‘data’?
Age
Responses
at the
individual
level…
unaggregated
Sex
M a rS ta t
C h ild re n
In c o m e
O cc
Educ
P e rs o n 1
24 M
1
1
5
1
7
P e rs o n 2
34 F
1
0
3
5
3
P e rs o n 3
52 F
2
2
4
3
3
P e rs o n 4
64 F
1
3
6
4
4
P e rs o n 5
23 M
3
1
7
2
6
P e rs o n 6
63 F
4
1
5
6
3
29 M
1
0
5
2
2
…
…
…
P e rs o n "n "
Also referred to as ‘microdata’. Examples include
Statistics Canada surveys, opinion polls, academic
surveys, and more…
Data
Surveys, scientific data, etc.
Statistical
Analysis
Statistics
Descriptive
Numbers, percentages,
tables, charts, time series
& graphs, in newspapers,
journals, on the web…
Inferential
Chi-square, t-test,
regression, ANOVA, etc…
http://img.mit.edu/newsoffice/images/article_images/original/20100315144150-1.jpg
Statistics and Survey Data…
Statistics
Postcard
“Fixed”
Survey Data
Camera
“Flexible”
Often, if you find statistics,
you’re well on the way to
finding data… and vice
versa
Statistics Canada
(CANSIM)
World Bank
Eurostat
US Bureau of Economic Analysis
(BEA),
and more
odesi.ca
CORA
ICPSR
and many
more…
http://library.queensu.ca/
http://library.queensu.ca/data
http://library.queensu.ca/data
Free download
Compatible with PC’s, not Macs
http://library.queensu.ca/webdoc/ssdc/beyond2020
Finding Census Tables in Beyond 20/20 format at Queen's
http://screencast.com/t/MMq93fsw
Dragging & Dropping Dimensions in Beyond 20/20
http://screencast.com/t/kPncSD9kULBO
Saving Beyond 20/20 Files to Excel
http://screencast.com/t/Bsf688ZrD9A
This table has a total of six dimensions
Two dimensions are displayed initially in the table:
Employment Income & Year
But there are four more dimensions in the
background:
Geography, Work Activity, Sex, & Occupation
Drag dimensions to
‘redraw’ the table as
you’d like…
Now ‘occupation’ is in
the rows instead of the
columns…
Individual dimensions can be
adjusted to show different views of
the table (e.g. Sex = male)
The new view of the
table can be saved in
Excel format
Let’s try this…
http://library.queensu.ca/data
The Data Access Continuum
Open
Microdata
Public-Use
Microdata Files
(PUMFs)
Statistics
Tables, charts,
graphs…
Open to the
world
Responses of
individuals
Restricted
Custom
Tabulations
Generated on
request by
Statistics Canada
using unabridged
Master files
Anonymity of
respondents is
assured
Potential for more
detailed tables
Generally free
Tables vetted for
anonymity
Under license
from Statistics
Canada
(DLI)
Cost recovery
from Statistics
Canada
$$$
ODESI
Dataverse
QSpace
Queen’s Nesstar
Discipline-based archives
Real-Time
Remote Access
(RTRA)
Research
Data Centre
(RDC)
Desktop analysis of
unabridged
Master files
Controlled access
to unabridged
Master files
Potential for more
detailed tables
Potential for
more detailed
tables & analysis
AUTOMATIC table
vetting
Statistics Canada
charges annual fee
for access
$$$
(this service is under
consideration)
Tables vetted by
Statistical
Analyst for
anonymity
No charge to
researchers
Microdata formats
Microdata
Record-level responses
Statistics
‘aggregate data’
Tables, charts,
graphs…
‘raw data’
Sources include:
Statistics Canada
Polling companies
Research data
ODESI
Dataverse
QSpace
Discipline-based
archives
http://library.queensu.ca/data
ODESI = Ontario Data Documentation, Extraction Service and Infrastructure
ODESI is a data “Catalogue” used to FIND data of interest.
ODESI links to NESSTAR WEBVIEW, which supports tabulating & downloading
Searching for data using http://odesi.ca
http://screencast.com/t/devuVZG6BI
http://library.queensu.ca/
But what if we wanted to look at these
responses along political party lines?
Nesstar Webview lets you explore this question…
Sample weights should be applied…
Let’s do this live…
http://odesi.ca
Options in NESSTAR
Save table in Excel or PDF format
Download entire dataset or subset
Subset dataset
Apply weights
And lots of options to
recode variables and
manipulate tables…
‘Link’ icon
Generates a web link that will return
you to your current ‘spot’ in Nesstar
http://odesi1.scholarsportal.info/webview/index.jsp?headers=http%3A%2F%2F142.150.19
0.11%3A80%2Fobj%2FfVariable%2Farg-snowden-E-2013can_V3&previousmode=table&stubs=http%3A%2F%2F142.150.190.11%3A80%2Fobj%2FfVa
riable%2Farg-snowden-E-2013can_V4&analysismode=table&charttype=T24&study=http%3A%2F%2F142.150.190.11%3A8
0%2Fobj%2FfStudy%2Farg-snowden-E-2013-can&gs=1&mode=documentation&top=yes
Where can I find more information?
GUIDE PAGE: http://library.queensu.ca/webdoc/ssdc/how_to_guides
Finding Statistics & Data at Queen’s:
Bottom line:
There are a lot of datasets out there.
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…and we can help you find them
Contact information
Jeff Moon –
Erin Forward –
Alex Cooper –
Data Librarian & Academic Director,
Queen’s Research Data Centre
moonj@queensu.ca
Ext. 77992
Geospatial Data Librarian
erin.forward@queensu.ca
Ext. 36952
Data and Web Support Assistant
coopera@queensu.ca
Ext. 77481