More Things to See and Do
On the Missouri Census Data
Center Web Site
Continuing from ….
Part 1 of this presentation (“Things to See and
Do…”), which looked mostly at applications in
the Quick Links navigation box.
In this part we look mostly at applications in the
Navy Blue Navigation Box (NB2), which appears
on the left of most MCDC web pages.
Most of these links are either to special topic
areas on the MCDC site, or to non-MCDC sites.
May We Strongly Suggest…
That you open a browser window and go
to the MCDC site at
http://mcdc.missouri.edu
and follow along with us.
The Navy Blue Navigation Box
We won’t be looking at
all the links in the NB2.
The box is subject to
change so don’t panic if
what you see is not
exactly as shown here.
These links tend to be to
pages or sites that are
very important.
Letting Mouse Hover Over a link…
Displays a brief description of what the link is
about / where it will be taking you.
Vertical spacing separates groups of links.
First link (“Home”) is traditional, but usually we
provide that link at the top of our pages.
The What’s New Page
Is really more about what was new.
This is where we permanently store the
Highlights items that appear down the
middle on our home page.
Stored in reverse chronological order,
latest month first.
Links to monthly items across top; links to
earlier years across the bottom.
The About MCDC Page
Tells you some stuff about who we are and
what we do and why we’re supposed to.
Important not-to-miss things on this page
are:
– The Excel files with the contact information.
– Instructions for subscribing to the mcdc
listserv.
Access the Data Archive
This is for users who
are willing and able to
access the data per se.
Not for everyone.
For when you want
something more (or
less, or different) from
the standard products.
The Uexplore/Dexter Home Page
AKA MCDC Data Archive Home Page.
4 parts to this very long page:
– Title and links to: important note, overview
doc, tutorials, and xsamples.
– Major Category Index box (bluish gray). 9
links, all to locations on this page.
– Recent Updates section.
– Data directory with links. Split into the 9 major
categories.
Approaches to Uexplore/Dexter
Hard to separate the data collection from
the web tools used to access it and extract
from it.
Learning to use these tools is as much
learning about the data / metadata as it is
about learning to code a query.
Finding Data
Can be very difficult unless you already
know what you want and have some
knowledge of what’s available.
This is where using a Questions/Comments
button can be the best search tool.
As we have seen, sometimes an
application can provide a link into dexter
with the searching part already done.
From the MCDC Quick Tour Page
The MCDC data archive is comprised of over
20,000 datasets with over 80 GB of data
organized into approximately 60 data directories
which we call filetypes. There are a number of
links to overview documents and tutorials from
this Uexplore home page. Following these links
will provide you with background information as
well as detailed instructions on using the
applications, especially the data extraction
module, Dexter. …
Example 1: Extract Poverty Data for all Counties in
Your State
A Little About Dexter
Data extraction utility. User fills out a 5section form to define the query.
Sec I is trivial. Sec II (filtering rows) is by
far the most complex. (But not required).
Sec III is just choosing off select lists.
Sec IV is easy and mostly cosmetics.
Sec V is mostly more difficult than the
others but is entirely optional.
The on-line doc is decent and
contextually-linked.
American Community Survey
The ACS is by far the
most important survey
being taken by the
Census Bureau today.
It is very important in
2008, but nothing
compared to what it will
be starting in 2010. (if all
goes well)
Our ACS Page:
mcdc2.missouri.edu/pub/data/acs/Readme.shtml
It is a Readme file stored as part of our data archive.
Topics include:
General Information
Data Release Plan Based on Size of Geographic Area
Currently Available Data
ACS Data Profiles
PUMS Data
Where to Get More Information
American Community Survey Home Page at the Census Bureau
Ten Things to Know About the American Community Survey
Population Estimates
Inter-censal estimates are
a very important data
source.
The ACS numbers are
adjusted so that they “fit”
over the Bureau’s
estimates at the county
level.
The Mo state demographer
works with the Bureau in
creating the estimates for
Missouri.
The MCDC Estimates Page (1)
http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/pub/data/popests/Curmoests.xls
Why Estimates Can Get Complicated
Different units (states, counties, places)
have different methodologies for doing the
estimates.
Methods can change over time.
Data sources can vary from state to state.
Estimates can be revised based on
challenges (e.g. city of St. Louis)
Why Estimates Can Get Complicated
Some estimates have demographic detail
(age, sex, race, hispanic)
Some estimates show components of
change.
Some “estimates” are really projections.
The MCDC Estimates Page (2)
Choosing link at Bullet #3
Takes you to a menu
page where you get
to pick from a set of
estimates reports and
corresponding
dataset links.
Click on the 3rd row,
1st column to view pdf
file report showing
components of
change for Mo cos.
Clicking in 2nd Col Leads to…
Choosing 2nd link in bullet #4 can lead to…
Selecting the Poptrends dynamic app (#5) can lead to …
Which can lead to this….
And choosing item #6 can cause …
Bullet #8 Takes You to the
Projections Page
Following the Excel files link on the Projections
page can lead to…
We Skip 2000 Census Link
As well as Profile Products (2K) . Not
quite as interesting today as they were a
few years ago.
Earlier Censuses and Historical
Population Data have relatively small but
devoted followings.
Geography page is important, though
many of its links are now in navigation
boxes.
Geography page
Geographic Reference
Reports is a useful links
page.
The PUMAs page is
important because of how
these are used in the
ACS.
ZIP page is very widely
used and generates lots
of e-mail queries.
MAGGOT file link (not
shown) is worth a look.
MCDC Mapper
Is a mini-site of its
own. Maintained by
GRC/MsDIS, built
with ArcIMS (mostly).
The link at the top is
the major application.
The Census 2000
Geographic Base
Map link is similar.
Click on Enter the Mapper
Choose 2000 as the Census
Choose Income as the topic and Poverty
Rate as the variable to be mapped.
Click the flag icon in the U-R corner of the
tool bar at left to turn off reference map.
You have a map of the state shaded
according to % Poor, 2000 at block group
level.
Navigate the Map
Use the “marquee zoom” tool (magnifying
glass with “+” inside) to draw a rectangle
around area to zoom to.
Or, use the “Select a County” drop-down
on the right to zoom to a county.
Zoom to Boone county, then use the zoom
tool select a rectangular area south of I-70
and west of Hwy 63.
Which results in something like..
Things to See & Do on this map
Use the toggle at U-R to switch between
viewing the Legend vs. the Layer List.
Use zoom tool to go in for a closer look at
the dark red area of dire poverty around
763 north of 740 (Rangeline n. of Stadium)
On the Layers list use check boxes to turn
on Tract Labels, BG boundaries & labels,
Street Names, Streets & Roads.
Do you know where you are? Who are all
these poor people?
More things to see & do on map
Make Block Group Boundaries the
Active layer by clicking the circular ckbox.
Grab the View Tabular Data tool (finger
pointing to page) and then click inside one
of the poorer areas of the map.
A window pops up (turn off pop-up
blocker) with our Application Links page.
Click on the dp3_2k link.
Per report, can you tell who lives here?
Things to See & Do Elsewhere
Follow these links for
really good stuff, even
if it’s not part of the
MCDC site.
Good web sites
almost always provide
links to other good
web sites.
These sites are really
good.
OSEDA Web Site
There is overlap between the MCDC &
OSEDA sites because of shared
personnel.
More data analysis here.
Check out the “SEIR”s (Social and
Economic Information Resources).
County Social & Economic Indicators
Under Staff you can see my picture.
MERIC
Missouri Economic Research and
Information Center. (Part of Mo DED.)
Best source of state-wide economic data
Economic Indicators tab our favorite
– Includes LED (Local Employment Dynamics)
Regional Information is also popular.
Census Bureau & AFF
American FactFinder appears in both of
our navigation boxes. It is the most
important web site ever for data junkies.
The Census Bureau site has won lots of
awards and deserves them.
AFF is part of the Bureau site, of course.
Only weakness is their lack of links to
anything not on their own site.
With One Exception
(from AFF main page)
Index & Search Tools
The A to Z Index can
be very helpful but
needs work. Each
letter entry ends with
link to the Bureau
index.
Google search is
relatively new (’07).
Searches MCDC and
OSEDA sites.
Most MCDC web pages end the same way
With boilerplate links to our parent agencies.
With an invitation to submit your questions or
comments. (The name varies; it’s an e-mail link)
We always read and consider comments. And we
always try to answer questions. Don’t by shy.
More Things to See and Do…
Is done.
Thank you.
Contact at blodgettj@missouri.edu