A Statistics Major’s
Guide to the Internet
Paul Weaver
English 202C
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Table Of Contents
1 Front Matter
1.1 Contents of the Guide
1.2 Intended Audience
1.3 This Guide’s Assumptions
1.4 Organization of the Guide
1.5 Tips for Use
2 General Internet Sources
2.1 StatLib
2.2 Penn State Department of Statistics
2.3 American Statistical Association
2.4 Wetfeet.com - Careers in Statistics
3 Published Sources
3.1 Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
3.2 Statistical Abstract of the United States
3.3 SERJ - Statistics Education Research Journal
3.4 PSU Databases - Statistical Insight (ProQuest)
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1 Front Matter
1.1 Contents of the Guide
This guide contains information relevant to statistics majors throughout all
points of their undergraduate (& graduate) education. Each individual entry focuses on an internet resource - some of these are useful resources for
homework help, others provide leads for potential research/career opportunities, and still others serve as sources of data for potential analysis.
Whether you’re looking for raw numerical data, opportunities, or clarification of a concept, this guide is useful to students throughout their pursuit
of a statistics degree.
1.2 Intended Audience
This guide is intended for undergraduate students in the department of
Statistics at Penn State. Freshmen just starting their degrees and Seniors
just finishing alike will find entries in this guide useful - however, some entries (such as those on research/career opportunities) become more relevant as the student completes their degree. Also, some entries in this guide
may be too complicated for those just starting their degree, but as their
knowledge expands, so will their ability to understand these entries.
1.3 This Guide’s Assumptions
A student reading this guide should be interested in the field of statistics,
and motivated to learn/explore the given materials. The guide also assumes the reader has a basic understanding of statistics, as understanding
in the field is imperative in order to use some of the following resources.
For example, a site detailing out research opportunities for statistics majors
would not appeal to a student without understanding of statistics, as they
would not be expected to receive these positions. This knowledge need
only be basic, however - as some sources provided are meant as resources
to help improve statistical knowledge.
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1.4 Organization of The Guide
The guide is organized into two main divisions - general internet sources,
and professional, published internet sources. These titles describe the
sources that are contained in each section. For quick, easy access to helpful
resources, go to the first, general section. For denser, more professional
sources in database/peer-reviewed journal format, go to the second section.
1.5 Tips for Use
Each entry in the guide contains the following things:
1) The title of the source.
2) The location (URL) of the source.
3) Any bibliographic information. (if applicable)
4) A general abstract on the contents and use of each entry.
5) Tips for locating sites that are particularly hard to navigate.
It is recommended that the user of this guide take into consideration every
part of every entry, to absorb the most information from the guide. Each
abstract will also contain some tips on how to use each respective source.
In addition, keep in mind that the documents are sorted by their complexity and the density of the material. The first section is easier to navigate and
understand, so traverse the guide accordingly based on your personal level
of knowledge in statistics.
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2 General Internet Sources
2.1 StatLib
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Data, Software and News from the Statistics Community
URL = http://lib.stat.cmu.edu/
Abstract: This site, as the title (an acronym of the words “Statistics Library”) suggests, is an all inclusive online encyclopedia of statistics softwares and data sets. Founded in April 1989 by a Senior Research Scientist
in Statistics at Carnegie Mellon University, the site is a free library of resources for use in the field of statistics. From the homepage, the user can
view or download popular softwares/datasets downloaded by others, or
use a link in the sidebar to search for their own resources. A statistics major
might visit this site to download software to aid them in a statistical analysis, or to download an appropriate data set to analyze. One disadvantage of
StatLib is its complexity, as StatLib does assume the reader has previous
basic/intermediate knowledge of statistics. However, the site walks the
reader through how to use the resources they choose to download from the
site, with descriptions of each software and its uses, and an implemented
rating system for each software under its “Details” tab. This helps preserve
the simplicity of the site for those less knowledgable in the field of statistics.
Tips:
1) This site does require a lot of navigating to acquire the desired
resources. All of these navigations links appear in the sidebar to the
left side of the main home page.
- To access software available for download, click on “Get
Software” in the sidebar. From this menu, there are numerous
different categories of software from which the user can
choose.
- Upon picking one, the site lists all softwares available
for download in the category, the size of each file, the
date each file was added, the number of times each file
has been downloaded, and a “details” tab (ignore the
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“homepage” tab). The details tab shows the user the
ratings the software has received by previous users.
- To access datasets available for download, click on “Get
Data” in the sidebar. This new menu gives the user choices for
where they want their data to come from.
- Upon choosing a data source, the data sets from that
source are retrieved, with the same summary and
information that is given for datasets, as explained above.
Ratings for each data set can still be found under the
“Details tab” for each set.
- The homepage also spotlights popular softwares, datasets,
links, and other downloads from previous users of the site. If
any of these appear to be of interest, the user can click these
links to navigate to the desired resources.
2) The application of materials found on this site can be difficult
without sufficient knowledge of statistical concepts. As a
general tip, make sure you understand the procedures you aim
to carry out before visiting the site, as the site’s complexity
could very easily be confusing to someone without this basic
knowledge.
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2.2 Penn State Department of Statistics Website
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URL = http://stat.psu.edu/
Abstract: This resource is the website for the Pennsylvania State University
Department of Statistics. The homepage does not contain much useful information, aside from current updates from within the department; however, most of the useful information can be navigated to easily through the
tabs at the top of the screen. By traversing the appropriate tabs, one can
find a description of faculty, classes, and events associated with the department of statistics - basic knowledge a statistics major should have about
their department.
This site contains much more useful information for a statistics major than
this, however. First, under the “Education” tab, there is an option titled
“Student Resources”. Towards the bottom of this Student Resources page,
there are links where numerous technical resources (such as softwares and
tutorials) and career resources are made available to statistics majors. This
provides the up-and-coming statistics major with softwares to help them
process data, and tutorials to help them use these softwares. As such, this
site not only arms students with the resources they need to succeed in statistics, but simultaneously teaches them how to use them as well.
Statistics majors can also use this site to inspect the type of research opportunities that may be open to them after graduating. This information can be
found under the “research” tab. Here, the department displays on-campus
centers where students can obtain research positions (under the “research
centers” tab), and boasts of previous research accomplishments members
of the department have made (under the “research in the news” tab). This
aspect makes the site increasingly valuable as a statistics student completes
their degree, as the information pertains to them more. The “research tab”
can help a student land a research position, or even investigate the kinds of
opportunities that are available to them as students of statistics. This helps
a student envision the future they will earn with their degree.
Tips:
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1) Clicking the “people” - “faculty” tab retrieves the names of the faculty associated with the Penn State Department of Statistics. By clicking on
a faculty member’s name, one can investigate their contact information and
personal webpage (which details their area of study within statistics). Do
not hesitate to contact these faculty with any questions regarding the material they teach or research opportunities they may have for you.
2) The site does have its disadvantages. It explains and gives download links for 4 main statistics softwares used in PSU statistics classes, but
unfortunately, not all of these resources are free. Also, some tutorials require a Penn State login to access, making them useful to only a specific
group of people (PSU students).
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2.3 American Statistical Association Website
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URL = http://www.amstat.org/education/index.cfm
Abstract: The American Statistical Association itself is an organization that,
according to their mission, “Promotes the Practice and Profession of Statistics”. Their website reflects this goal to promote statistics as a profession, as
it contains numerous resources for use by statistics majors. By navigating
the toolbar at the top of the screen, the user can access any of the following
information:
- Possible competitions and scholarships that students can pursue,
found under the “Awards & Recognitions” tab. By completing these opportunities, a student can receive recognition in the form of awards and scholarship money. These can help a statistics student further their career in the
statistics field.
- Career opportunities through the ASA, found under the “Career
Center” tab. This category contains numerous resources to help a statistics
student find a job - a description of careers a statistician can pursue, a list of
reports on salaries a statistician may earn, and even a link to JobWeb, a job
database that helps students contact possible employers. These resources
all provide a statistics major with valuable opportunities to arm themselves
with knowledge and further build connections in their career path.
- Other opportunities and resources for students, throughout all
points of their education (undergraduate, graduate, and beyond). These resources are found under the “Education” tab, and include internship,
scholarship, and program opportunities available to both undergraduate
and graduate students. These opportunities help statistics students build
connections in the field, and further apply their education.
All of these resources can help statistics students build their futures in the
field, making the site itself a useful resource for a student in the field of statistics.
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2.4 Wetfeet.com
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Careers in Statistics
URL = http://www.wetfeet.com/articles/doing-the-math-careers-in-statistics
available by web search, or through Penn State Career Services (click on
“Wetfeet” at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/career/cic/)
Abstract: It’s common, before committing oneself to an area of study, to
look ahead to where a degree in the area could take you. The cited article,
posted through wetfeet.com, outlines the different areas in which one can
use a statistics degree. It describes these possible uses for a statistics degree
in depth, from applications in the government, to business, to healthcare.
The information provided is simple, yet helpful and specific, detailing specific positions that can be acquired with a statistics degree. This information is important, as it gives a student a sense of destination, knowing
where they want to end up with their degree. Having this goal in sight may
help motivate the student through their education. A student farther along
in their degree could also refer to this article for professional guidance, as
opportunities for jobs, internships and research positions start to arise. Not
only does this site serve as a wealth of useful information, but the information is printed in concise article format, meaning is is all readily available without any required navigation. This makes the site helpful for a statistics major in both content, and format.
Tips:
1) This website requires almost no special treatment. Just simply click
the link, and read!
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3 Published Internet Sources
3.1 Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
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Report title - Rural Employment Trends in Recession and Recovery, by
Tom Hertz, Lorin Kusmin, Alex Marre and Tim Parker. August 2014
URL = http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research-report/err172.aspx
Abstract: The Catalog of US Government Publications is a database
through which all documents written by government agencies are made
available online. These works range in subject matter from agricultural
censes, to legal documents, to economic evaluations. A statistics major can
find useful documents among these simply by searching the database for
the keyword “data”. While the results may not teach the user about statistics, or how to run statistical analyses, the results will bring up full, raw
data sets available for immediate use, and in some cases, a partial/full
analysis to go along with it. Data is obviously very important to a statistics
major, in that without data, we have no grounds on which to run an analysis or form a conclusion. As such, The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications may not contain educational content for a statistics major to absorb,
but it does put a huge collection of datasets and statistical applications at
their disposal.
As an example, one report published to the catalog, entitled “Rural Employment Trends in Recession and Recovery”, provides both data and analysis regarding the economic status and unemployment statistics in rural areas in the years following the economic recession of 2007. Specifically, the
article analyzes regional differences in how these statistics were affected by
the crash, and in the end, the extent to which regional differences varied
was staggering. By reading through the article, a statistics major can not
only see the raw data these experts made their conclusions based on, but
also study a real-life application of the concepts they have learned.
Tips: The US Catalog of Government Publications can be difficult to navigate:
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- From the GCP homepage, search for the keyword “data”. This will
bring up a number of results, all of which contain some sort of
application of statistics.
- If you want to search in a specific subject area, search for
those keywords in addition to the word data.
- From the results, pick a report. Once you click on a report, a page
with the report’s bibliographical information should appear. From
the top, the page should give the report’s Title, Format, then Internet
Access (if it is an internet resource). Click this link to access the
resource.
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3.2 Statistical Abstract of the United States
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The 2012 Statistical Abstract: PDF Version; all sections
URL = http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012edition.html
Abstract: The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published online
through the United States Census (census.gov) is a goldmine of data for a statistics major. Although this site does not contain educational material, it essentially serves as a database of tables, diagrams, and analyses of all data
collected about the United States - from its population, to its energy usage,
to its economy. This proves useful to a statistics major in that it provides
them with pre-collected data in an easy-to-analyze format, in virtually any
subject area they could imagine (thanks to the topic sidebar, explained below). For example, if the user were interested in finding usable data regarding, say, the population of the United States, they could navigate to the
“Population” tab on the sidebar and have immediate access to data. As an
example, by clicking the “National Estimates and Projections” tab under
“Populations”, the user is given access to tables of data on the Population
by Area, General Population, Resident Population Projections, and Components of Population Change of the US. As such, the statistical abstract of the
United States serves as an undeniably useful tool for a statistics major in
that it is a convenient, one-stop source for raw, unanalyzed data for use in
projects for virtually any subject field.
Tips: Navigating the website can be tricky:
- When looking for data, look to the toolbar to the left side of the
Statistical Abstract of the United States homepage. It outlines the
different subject areas of the Statistical Abstract for which the site
contains data. Click on your area of interest.
- Selecting a topic should bring up a page with a series of entries in
the abstract. At the end of each line, there is a link to download an
Excel Spreadsheet and a link to a PDF of the data. Pick the format
you would prefer, and click the link to download the data. This will
give you access to spreadsheets and graphs of raw data collected by
the government.
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3.3 SERJ - Statistics Education Research Journal
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Current Issue and Archives, Int’l Assoc. For Statistical Education
URL = http://iase-web.org/Publications.php?p=SERJ_issues
Abstract: The Statistics Education Research Journal, printed biannually
through the International Association for Statistical Education, is a peer-reviewed e-journal that serves as a resource for anyone interested in teaching
statistics. The journal is a culmination of articles submitted by teachers and
researchers alike in the field of statistics. The purpose of these articles is to
analyze methods of teaching statistics in different classroom environments,
and the effectiveness of these methods. Articles within the journal, for example, call the effectiveness of statistical software and its use in-lecture into
question. Some of these articles are more detailed than others in their analysis, giving raw data, while others paraphrase their findings without referencing their specific datasets. However, these articles could potentially be
useful to a statistics major studying to teach in the field. By studying methods the tried and true methods that have worked for teachers before them,
a student can increase their effectiveness as a teacher of statistics from the
get-go using this journal.
This site also has some advantages for students that don’t aim to teach, as
well. Information in the journal portrays not only how teachers can best
portray material to their students, but also how students can best learn &
study statistics material. As such, a student could read this journal to pick
up study tips, and aid them in their absorption of material.
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3.4 PSU Databases - Statistical Insight (ProQuest)
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Formerly LexisNexis
URL = http://statistical.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/statisticalinsight/search/basic/sibasicsearch?accountid=13158
Abstract: The Statistical Insight Database is a resource available through
the Penn State Library Resources made available to students and faculty.
This database, as the title suggest, contains documents that look at the
world with an analytic, statistical eye, giving datasets and analyses associated with a range of subject materials.
From the homepage, a wealth of resources are made available. In the right
sidebar, a list of keywords based on recent news topics are included. These
keywords, when clicked, pull up datasets and analyses concerning the
topic. For example, clicking on the keyword “Income Inequality” will bring
up analyses concerning the wage gap in the United States and other countries/regions (Latin America, for example) complete with tables and detailed graphs.
In the left sidebar, there are links that will forward the user on to other databases. These databases will retrieve the same type of statistical document
as Statistical Insight, but from a specific government source - whether it’s
the Statistical Abstract of the United States, the Statistical Abstract of the
World, or the United States History Vault. There is also the option to run
an advanced search, as opposed to the more basic, keyword-based search.
All of this goes to show that the Statistical Insight database puts a wealth of
reliable, complete datasets and analyses at the user’s disposal. The documents contained in the database are useful for someone in the field of statistics in that they can be used as datasets for a project assigned in a class.
These documents can also be read through as practice in applying learned
statistical concepts.
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