Why Use Data?
Why Use Data?
- Data can help us strengthen our argument.
- Data, such as statistics and demographics can help us analyze trends and relationships between economic, social, cultural, and biological processes influencing a population.
- Data can transform something abstract into something everyone can understand and relate to. For example, data can reveal how some abstract threat such as unemployment affects people based on their age, gender, or education. (From the Data Journalism Handbook
Sources of statistical data:
- Statista This link opens in a new windowStatista is an online statistics portal that provides access to data from market and opinion research institutions, as well as from business organizations and government institutions.
- Digest of Education StatisticsThe primary purpose of the Digest of Education Statistics is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school.
Words of Caution
- Just because we are interested in something doesn't mean there has been data collected on that topic.
- Even when data has been collected, it may not be available. Some data is proprietary.
- Be wary of the source of your statistics. Consider that numbers can be misleading and that data may be compromised for many reasons, including sponsor bias, method of conducting research, sample size, etc.
What is Quantitative Data? How is it Different from Qualitative Data?
image courtesy of Regents Exam Prep Center
