Sociology: Demography and Statistics
Evaluating Web Resources
Guidelines for evaluating websites.
Purpose
- Why was this source created?
- What audience was it created for?
- Is it scholarly or popular? Does this matter?
Authority
- Who is the author? A person? A corporation?
- What are the author's qualifications for writing on this subject?
Timeliness
- Is there a date?
- When was the content last updated?
Scope
- Does it give too much or too little information?
- How specific is the information provided?
Selected Resources
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World Bank eAtlas of Global DevelopmentInteractive site that maps and graphs economic and social data for over 200 countries. Pulled from the World Bank’s development data, the site’s over 175 indicators can be compared, exported and refined.
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United Nations Demographic YearbookNeed mortality statistics? Start here!
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World Development Report OnlineUse this website to locate world economic, social, and political indicators, and to get access to the annual World Development Report from 1978 to the present. Hosted by the World Bank Group.
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UNESCOStart here to locate international information and data about hundreds of issues, from Access to Information to Youth issues.
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UNICEFNeed statistics about children's health, education and social issues? Start here.
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United States CensusReview and gather demographic and social data from the cecennial census.
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GapMinderLets users compare countries via charts and maps. Over 500 indicators about health, education, technology and more are available.
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London Lives from 1690 to 1800A website featuring a broad range of primary sources focusing on the lives of everyday Londoners. Manuscripts and datasets offering information on crime, poverty, illness and other social conditions are housed on this useful site.
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A Vision of Britain Through TimeUsing GIS technology, this website gathers data from maps, censi, election results to better understand citenzry and sociological changes through time.
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Digital Harlem: Everyday Life, 1915-1930This resource uses information from primary source newspapers and Manhattan District Attorney files to paint a picture of life for common African-American citizens living in Harlem. Topics include family, racism, and issues surrounding marginalized societies.
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American Community SurveyFrom the United States Census Bureau, you can find social, demographic, economic and housing demographics in communities.
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Mapping the Measure of AmericaThe Human Development Project’s site makes use of a scale that measures America’s ”well-being.” Scroll over a state to see data on earnings, education, life expectancy, and other demographic and socioeconomic indicators. Also includes political information, from congressional districts to voter participation.
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MetroTrendsUse this site to see a ”report card” of metropolitan regions, with a focus on economic, demographic, and social issues.
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CIA World Factbook This link opens in a new window
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Sourcebook of Criminal Justice StatisticsCombines data from over 100 different sources ranging from research centers, to private companies, to government agencies.