LibGuides: Data and Statistics Guide: Politics and Government Resources

Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to connect you with raw datasets that can help support your Politics and Government research.

Many political decisions are based on data. Many articles or sites will offer statistical analysis of these raw datasets. While useful, even the best analysis may not be enough for your needs. There are times that you need to go directly to the source. Below you will find agencies at the federal and international levels that have made their raw datasets available for download.

Bias Notice: Even though we go to data to remove others' opinions from our interpretations, always be mindful of the methods of data collection. Even the base datasets can be biased by how it was collected. Beware of "bad data" with outright flaws in the collection method, but you also want to note that even "good data" can be biased. You always want to think critically about where these numbers are coming from and account for that in your analysis.

United States Data and Statistics

American National Election Studies
To 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.
Data.gov
Data.gov is the federal government’s open data site, and aims to make government more open and accountable. Data.gov implements Title II of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 Public Law 115-435. The OPEN Government Data Act makes Data.gov a requirement in statute, rather than a policy. It requires federal agencies to publish their information online as open data, using standardized, machine-readable data formats, with their metadata included in the Data.gov catalog.
State Data Center (SDC)
The State Data Center (SDC) Program is one of the Census Bureau's longest and most successful partnerships. This partnership between the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the island areas and the Census Bureau was created in 1978 to make data available locally to the public through a network of state agencies, universities, libraries, and regional and local governments.

International Data and Statistics

Quality of Government Insitute Data
The Insitute offers several open-source datasets, a variable search tool, visualization tools and some extra information, all about Quality of Government.
SIPRI Resources
Collections of raw data and statistical reports on global security from Stockholm International Peace Research Insititute.

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Data and Statistics Guide

Introduction

United States Data and Statistics

International Data and Statistics

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