Research Guides: MSC_537: Information Design (Patrick): Find Data & Statistics

Data VS. Statistics

Data is the raw information from which statistics are created. It is often the in the form of datasets and machine readable files.

Statistics are a summary of the data. They are often in the form of tables, charts, and graphs.

Key Resources

ProQuest Statistical Insight This link opens in a new window
Statistical information produced by
- U.S. Federal agencies
- States
- Private organizations
- Major intergovernmental organizations.
Roper Center For Public Opinion Research This link opens in a new window
Opinion poll data from 1935 to the present, covering social issues, politics, pop culture, international affairs, science, the environment, and much more.
When available, results charts, demographic crosstabs and full datasets are provided for immediate download. Personal registration needed in order to access datasets.
Statista This link opens in a new window
statistics and studies gathered by:
- market researchers
- trade organizations
- scientific publications
- government sources

Useful software and tools

Adobe PDF to Excel Converter (free)
If you find a PDF with tables that you'd like to use, you may use this free converter to convert PDFs to Excel spreadsheet files. You will need to create an Adobe account or use your Google account to login.
Northwestern Libraries Available Software
All computers at Northwestern Libraries have a standard set of up-to-date software, including several options for data visualizations.
Northwestern IT Available Software
Get Microsoft Office and the Adobe Creative Cloud suite through Northwestern IT. Depending on the program you want to use, discounted charges may apply.
Software for Data Analysis
A guide to software for data analysis.

Specific Data Table Compilations

ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States
2013-present, NU affiliated users only. The ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political and economic conditions of the United States.
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Earlier editions available from the Census Bureau 1878-2012
Historical Statistics of the United States
Comprehensive survey and tabulation of historical statistics from government agencies and other sources, covering all aspects of US population and economy. View tables or download as Excel files.
International Historical Statistics: 1750-2010
Provides key economic and social indicators for the last 260 years; includes volumes for Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, the Americas.
UNdata
Statistical time series for countries from around the world covering a wide range of economic and socio-demographic topics.
FAOSTAT
FAOSTAT provides free access to food and agriculture data for over 245 countries and territories and covers all FAO regional groupings from 1961 to the most recent year available.
Unicef Data
Statistical information from core UNICEF studies, as well as the data (& datasets) from its supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS); a major source of global development data.
Corona Virus Critical Trends
From the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Research Center, track how the novel coronavirus is spreading around the globe with up-to-date visuals that give context to the data collected.
CDC Covid Data Tracker
Find maps and charts tracking cases, deaths, and trends of COVID-19 in the United States, updated daily by 8 pm EST
World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus Disease Dashboard
Visualizations, tables, and related data available to export.

Social Media Datasets

Pew Research Center
Sign up for a free account to access the raw datasets.
Tweet ID Catalog
Twitter's terms of service don't allow tweet datasets to be published on the web, but they do allow tweet identifier datasets to be shared.
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This catalog is maintained by DocNow which responds to the public's use of social media for chronicling historically significant events as well as demand from scholars, students, and archivists, among others, seeking a user-friendly means of collecting and preserving this type of digital content. DocNow has a strong commitment to prioritizing ethical practices when working with social media content, especially in terms of collection and long-term preservation. This commitment extends to Twitter's notion of honoring user intent and the rights of content creators. The project is a collaborative effort among the University of Maryland, University of California at Riverside, and Washington University in St. Louis. We are extremely grateful for funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Social Media Research Foundation
"The Social Media Research Foundation is dedicated to foster research on contemporary network society with the help of our social network analysis tool NodeXL Pro."