Sociology
Statistics & Polls
Starting points for finding...
Finding Statistics
Government agencies are often the best places to begin for finding statistics because they're often the organizations responsible for collecting statistics, particularly nationwide. Use the links below to find local, regional, and state government info and statistics.
Local Statistics
- City of Tacoma WebsiteGateway site for all city-related services, business, and government issues. Use the tabs across the top to drill down into specific areas or issues.
- Pierce County WebsiteOfficial site for the Pierce County government services.
National Government Statistics
- United States Census BureauFind popular facts (population, income, etc.) and frequently requested data about your community.
- CDC: Data & StatisticsSearch national data & statistics by topic
- U.S. Census BureauAuthoritative data on the U.S. population including city and state profiles which cover info from these various areas: Business and economy, Race and ethnicity, families and living arrangements, employment, education, and more
- CIA World Factbook"The World Factbook provides information on the history, people and society, government, economy, energy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues."
- Data.govData sets and applications for analyzing and presenting them, compiled by U.S. government departments and agencies.
- Population Reference BureauPRB analyzes demographic data and research to provide objective, accurate, and up-to-date population information in accessible formats.
- Stanford Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality"Clearinghouse on poverty and inequality trends, including crime, labor markets, public opinion, housing, retirement, and health with open-source graphing. "
- Bureau of Labor StatisticsFind information on employment, unemployment, inflation, wages and more.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics - Economy at a glanceFind the unemployment rate of states, cities and metropolitan areas in the United States.
Looking for More Statistics?
Find more general U.S. stats and data on such topics as Health, Education, Economy, Population, Crime, Transportation on the library's Statistics guide linked here:
National Polling Data
- The Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center "is a nonpartisan “fact tank” that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world."
- Gallup PollsAnother leading polling "think tank" that gathers current polling data on a wide variety of national and international issues. Click on "Resources" to view reports, datasets, and more.
Think Tanks
There are many "think tanks" out there, which are organizations that offer substantial reports on a wide variety of topics from various perspectives. Here are a few you might try:
- Brookings InstituteThe Brookings Institution is a well-known and respected non-profit public policy organization based in Washington, DC.
- Heritage FoundationThe Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies.
- Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceTheir mission is to advance the cause of peace through analysis and development of fresh policy ideas and direct engagement and collaboration with decision makers in government, business, and civil society.
- Cato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a public policy research organization dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets and peace.
- Institute for Policy StudiesThe Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) is a progressive, multi-issue think tank dedicated to building a more equitable, ecologically sustainable, and peaceful society.
- Council on Foreign RelationsThe Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization and think tank. They focus on foreign policy and communications.
- RAND - Published ResearchSearch through publications, rich in data and statistics, by year, topic, and larger research series.
Newspaper Editorials & Opinion Pages
- Room for Debate - New York TimesIn Room for Debate, The Times invites knowledgeable outside contributors to discuss news events and other timely issues. Each issue is posed as a question with multiple essay responses.
- Opinion Pages of the New York TimesEditorials, signed opinions and columns, and letters to the editor. Some NYC coverage, but content is mainly national and/or global.
- Opinion pages of the Seattle TimesRead regional opinion pieces and editorials from the Seattle Times newspaper.
- Opinion pages of the Tacoma News TribuneRead local opinion pieces and editorials from The News Tribune in Tacoma.
Information on Controversial Topics
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
These weekly reports provide thoughtfully written analyses of social, economic and political issues. Every issue features an extensive report on one topic. - Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Articles on 400 topics, each with an overview and an argument, and many with opposing arguments. Also includes primary sources.
- Opposing Viewpoints series"Opposing Viewpoints" is a series of books published by Greenhaven Press that compile essays from multiple viewpoints, or perspectives, on a central issue or topic. Perfect starting points for argument papers!
- ProCon.orgA site focused on "promoting critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, and primarily pro-con format." A significant feature of this web site is the provision of links to the documents cited in the arguments.
Google search tips for finding...
Government Websites (.gov)
Government sites (at the federal, state, and county level) can provide statistics and reliable information about some topics.
Limit your search to only government websites by using "site:gov" as part of your search string. (Note that there is no space before or after the colon.)
Here's is an example of what you would type into a Google search bar:
homeless programs tacoma site:gov
--> looking for info about local or county government programs to help homeless populations <--
Now you try!
Statistics
Adding the keyword statistics to your Google search can be a helpful starting point when searching for statistics.
Both organizations and government sites are good places to find statistics. Try adding the domain trick to your Google search for organizations and government sources. How? Just add site:.org and then try the same search with site:.gov to compare-and-contrast results -- and resulting statistics!
Now you try!
Educational Websites (.edu)
Some universities have research centers, and make their research or programs available online.
Here is a sample Google search if you want to narrow down to educational sources:
homeless programs tacoma site:.edu
--> looking for local or regional colleges & university info or programs <--
Now you try!
Organization Websites (.org)
Organizations can be for-profit or non-profit -- you would need to check their "About" page to see which kind -- but websites for organizations can be super useful when looking for problem-solving solutions and how other people or organizations have gone about trying to help a specific social issue or problem.
Here is a sample Google search if you want to narrow down to organizations:
homeless programs tacoma site:.org
--> looking for local or regional organizations <--
Now you try!
Except where otherwise noted, the content in these guides by Tacoma Community College Library is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0.
This openly licensed content allows others to cite, share, or modify this content, with credit to TCC Library. When reusing or adapting this content, include this statement in the new document: This content was originally created by Tacoma Community College Library and shared with a CC BY SA 4.0 license.
Tacoma Community College Library - Building 7, 6501 South 19th Street, Tacoma, WA 98466 - P. 253.566.5087
Visit us on Instagram!