Data & Statistics for Journalists: Data vs Statistics
Popular Statistical Sources
United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2017 by ISBN: 9789211483055Publication Date: 2019-02-14Official demographic statistics are compiled in the Yearbook for 230+ countries and areas of the world up to 2016. This edition contains chapters on the population size and distribution, the population of capital cities, fertility, fetal mortality, infant and maternal mortality, general mortality, nuptiality and divorce.
Statistical Abstract of the United StatesCall Number: HA202.P7 2013Compilation of statistical tables from various government agencies. Covers wide variety of subjects.
Current edition (ProQuest)
Historic editions: 1878 to 2012 (free)
Do You Need Data or Statistics?
Data is the raw "stuff" that is analyzed to create statistics. They both come in several forms: numeric (or quantitative), spatial, and qualitative (includes interviews, opinion data).
DATA:
- Require some analysis to be used in a story
- You can customize your own analyses, for instance, comparing two different data sets/types
- Quantitative data often consists of large sets of variables (for instance: gender, income, ethnicity)
STATISTICS:
- Are often easier and quicker to use
- Provide quick facts, pre-crunched numbers, pre-interpreted analyses
- Are often in the form of tables or graphs
There is some semantic overlap between the two terms, so don't be surprised to hear the same figure referred to as data or a statistic. Plus, one person's statistic (interpreted data) may in turn be someone else's data, to be re-interpreted and used for a different purpose! Don't worry too much about the terminology--the important point is:
If you need a quick figure or single fact, check existing statistics first.