Welcome to researching with data! Before you begin looking on this guide for a data set for your research project, please think about the question you want to answer with the data you find. It will be so much easier to find a data set and make sense of the data you see if you approach the data with a question in mind. :)
Once you have your question, next you want to think of what kind of data might answer that question and who would have produced that data. So for example, if you are interested in knowing how Maryland compares to other states in terms of education outcomes, you will want to find national education data by state and that would (hopefully) be available from a national education agency.
The sources in this guide are focused on data and data sets, rather than statistics. A good explanation of the difference between the two can be found here: http://libguides.lib.msu.edu/datastats
This link opens in a new windowU.S. national data and mapping tool and analytics platform with multidisciplinary applications for college students and faculty. Undergraduate and graduate schools use us in their curriculum and research related to social sciences, urban studies, real estate and housing analysis, community and economic development, public administration, public health, policy and political science, education, business, economics, statistics, and geography, among others.
Users can leverage thousands of U.S. data indicators in PolicyMap to perform demographic and socioeconomic analysis, from a neighborhood census block group in many cases, up to a national level, as well as create custom regions, for their research and studies.
This link opens in a new windowWinmo (formerly Red Books) is an advertising database that provides comprehensive and up-to-date information on companies and the advertising agencies that work for them. This database can be used to identify agency clients; find a company by searching for the brand it owns; locate critical information about agency clients; and more. This is the online version of the print resource titled "Standard Directory of Advertisers", also known as “Advertising Red Books.”
This link opens in a new windowFind books, articles, media, government information, and other library resources all in one place. Search what Towson owns as well as resources at other USMAI Libraries.
