See Alicia's video that accompanies this guide
Librarian
What is ICPSR?
ICPSR (Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Research) is the world’s largest archive of computer readable social science data. Through our membership, it allows you to access an archive of more than 20,000 research files from a range of studies in the social sciences, including the raw data as well as, in many cases, the study documentation and research that has been conducted based on the data.
- Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Research (ICPSR) This link opens in a new window
Downloadable data files, documentations, and data-based research related to a wide range of social science areas. Guide to Searching ICPSR
Types of sites that carry data
- Data Census Site (different from basic Census)If the original Census is glitchy, their Data site might be better, and it should allow for multiple keyword searching instead of having to add filters.
- United States CensusExplore the thousands of tables we have.
We are adding new tables every week. - ANES: American National Election StatisticsTo serve the research needs of social scientists, teachers, students, policy makers and journalists, the ANES produces high quality data from its own surveys on voting, public opinion, and political participation.
- Harvard DataverseThe Harvard Dataverse Repository is a free data repository open to all researchers from any discipline, both inside and outside of the Harvard community, where you can share, archive, cite, access, and explore research data. Each individual Dataverse collection is a customizable collection of datasets (or a virtual repository) for organizing, managing, and showcasing datasets.
- Pew Research CenterPew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. We conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. We do not take policy positions.
- MIT Election Data and Science LabOur lab is a clearinghouse for data sets that can fuel studies on elections and how they're conducted. Find election data and research tools produced by us and others.
- Harvard Kennedy SchoolLibGuide with an extensive list of sites for election statistics.
- Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Research (ICPSR) This link opens in a new window
Downloadable data files, documentations, and data-based research related to a wide range of social science areas. Guide to Searching ICPSR
- Historical Statistics of the United States This link opens in a new window
Historical statistics addressing population, work, economic factors, and governance in the United States.
- Specific table in the Historical Statistics of the U.S.Table Aa9-14 - National population and the demographic components of change: 1790–2000 [Annual estimates]
- National Center for Education StatisticsThe Digest of Education Statistics contains a set of tables covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school.
Data or statistics?
Scholarly articles
Often there is statistical data within the discussion in a scholarly article. Consider this source (found through CrossSearch):
Cao, J., Kim, S. S., & Alvarez, R. M. (2022). Bayesian Analysis of State Voter Registration Database Integrity. Statistics, Politics & Policy, 13(1), 19–40. https://doi.org/10.1515/spp-2021-0016
