By Darlene Fichter and Harpreet AulakhData Library Services

October 2, 2007

Overview of Government StatisticsSociology 332.6Principles of Research Design

Outline

Using the Library for Your AssignmentUnderstanding Official StatisticsDemo and Hands on Practice with Online

StatisticsBrief tour of Government Publications

Predict and Investigate

Purpose:– “familiarize yourself with the official statistics…”

4-page report to…1. Develop a Research Question from the stats2. Provide the answer from stats3. Explain how data answers question4. Read “at least” 2 journal articles and incorporate

finds/arguments into report [ Sociological Abstracts ]

Statistics Canada

Government agency tasked with producing statistics on Canada’s population, economy, population, culture and society

Governed by Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada 1985

Regularly been recognized as the best statistics agency in the world (The Economist)

http://www.statisticscanada.ca/

StatsCan or StatCan

Statistics Canada

Conducts 350 surveys each year on all aspects of Canadian life

Country-wide census every five years

Three Ways

Print– Government Publications (GovPubs) 2nd Floor

Downloadable Print (PDF)– http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/Statcan/

Online– CANSIM, E-Stat etc.

Terms and Terminology

Your terms vs. Statistics Canada terms– Statistics Canada Thesaurus– http://www4.statcan.ca/english/thesaurus/

Internet Shoppingor

Shopping onlineElectronic Commerce

Print Publications - Government Publications2nd Floor

CA1 BS 11-010 Canadian Economic Observations

CA1 BS 71-201 Historical Labour Force StatisticsCA1 BS 81-003 Education Quarterly ReviewCA1 BS 82-003 Health ReportsCA1 BS 84-209 Mortality – List of Causes

Print Publications - Reference Stacks, First Floor

CA1 BS 85 C205 Canadian Crime StatisticsCA1 BS 89 C503D Women in CanadaCA1 BS 91-C213 Annual Demographic

Statistics

Census – Print & Online Versions

2001 Census Ref CA1 BTD1996 Census Gov Pub CA1 BTC1991 Census Gov Pub CA1 BTB

1861 Census Gov Pubs CA 1 BSB …

1986 Census Gov Pubs CA1 BTA

StrategiesFind a report of interest. Look at the tables and footnotes to

see the sources of data. They often list a CANSIM number or a Census publication.– Library Home Page

Subject pages– Sociology

Start with “most current” print, work backwards in print and forwards online

In Library’s Catalogue use… “Word” option– “Statistics Canada” and additional terms

No Clue Where to Start?

Browse:– Index of the Statistics Canada Catalogue

Ref Stacks CA1 BS11 C204– Statistics Canada Daily

http://www.statcan.ca/english/dai-quo/– Browse the Gov Pubs Stats

Try This Publication

Canadian Social Trends– Articles and statistical tables that look at the

social, economic, and demographic trends that affect Canadians.

http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection-R/Statcan/11-008-XIE/11-008-XIE.html

Talk to a Librarian

Reference Desk – Murray Library

Finding the Handouts Online

Data Library Services– Blog on the right hand side– Post links to the three handouts

Questions?