Books

Statistics books are spread across fields and are similarly spread across the library by subject. To  begin, select WEBCATalog from the library’s webpage.

Start broadly by entering statistics in the text box and clicking on SUBJECT.  200 items turn up.  To narrow your search, add a limiting term, such as children.  Now only two books are retrieved.  To broaden your search, click on SEARCH EVERYTHING.  250 items are retrieved.  Try substituting atlases or almanacs, both great data resources, for the term statistics.  Bear in mind that a few years will have elapsed between the compilation of data and its publication in print. Many statistics compilations, atlases, and almanacs are shelved in the library’s Reference Collection and are to be used in the library only.
 

A Matter of Factcontains full-text statistical statements on current social, economic, political,
health, and environmental public policy issues from more than 1,000 print sources as well as a wide range of web resources, to which the entries are linked. The data is presented in abstract form along with a bibliographic citation or web-link to the original document.  Many of the print sources cited are available in their entirety from one of the Library's full text Online Research Databases (Ebscohost, General Reference Center Gold, SIRS Knowledge Source).

    Hint:  This database is available on campus only and is tricky to open.  After you select
   Matter of Fact from the Online Research Databases you will reach the Pierian Press menu.
   Click, yet again, on Matter of Fact.

FACTS.COM contains six databases and covers events from 1980 to the present.  Full text resources include: Issues and Controversies On File, Today's Science On File, Editorials On File, Reuters On-Line News Service, The World Almanac and Book of Facts. The World Almanac Encyclopedia .  This is a strong site for brief stories on current events and issues, statistics, and people in the news.

Rand California  is sponsored by the Rand Corporation. This site contains statistical information about California cities and counties, an online index of public policy and research publications, monthly reports on California economy, information on state policy developments, and federal policy bulletins affecting California. Many of the files from this database may be downloaded into Excel or other spreadsheet programs.

To Download from Rand California into Microsoft Excel:

    1.    Perform Search in Rand California
    2.    Select Tab Delimited from the Choose a Format drop-down menu.
    3.    Name file and save to disk in A drive.  Rand will save program as a “CGI” file.
    4.    Now, convert from CGI file to Excel table.
            --Open Microsoft Excel SpreadSheet program.
            --Retrieve data from disk:
                -- Click on File.
                -- Click on Floppy at disk drive drop-down box.
                -- Data is not yet in Excel format, so click on All files at Files of Type
                    drop-down box.
                -- Highlight named file.
                -- Click on Open.
        --Click on Next. Proceed through commands. Click on Finish.
5.    Data should now be in Excel table.  Save as Excel file before exiting the program.

Shasta College Library Internet Reference Collection is updated consistently and contains links to various statistics sources.  Open the page, scroll down to Statistics and select from the following:

• FedStats  provides access to select statistical reports from over 70 Federal Government agencies. Searchable by topic.

• Statistical Abstract of the United States  includes a selection of data from many statistical publications, both government and private.  The print edition contains the same information, is easier on the eyes and can be found at the Reference section of the library [Ref HA 202 .A1 1999]. Note:  You must install the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to use the Statistical Abstract online. Information about this application, which is available free of charge, may be found on the Library's Software Tools web page.

• U.S. Census Bureau contains data, reports, and projections.  It is searchable by topic and state.

 The Internet Glossary of Statistical Terms defines words clearly with illustrations and links to related terms within the glossary. Terms are arranged in a suggested learning order for the novice as well as in an alphabetic list for those familiar with statistics.

PollingReport.com  is the online presence of The Polling Report, a bimonthly "independent survey of trends which effect elections, government, and business." The Web site is updated whenever a
 new poll is released, which means almost daily. Includes Gallup, Harris,Yankelovich, Princeton Survey Research Associates, network news polls more. Main categories are Politics and Policy; Business / Economy; American Scene; Insights; and National Barometer; with an extensive table of contents. Searchable

Gallup Poll  For over 60 years, The Gallup Organization has been the world leader in the measurement and analysis of people's attitudes, opinions, and behavior. Gallup is best known for The Gallup Poll, which dates from 1935.  Opinion polling represents only a fraction of the company's business today. Gallup also provides marketing, management research, consulting, and training to the world's largest corporations and institutions.Select polls are accessible by subject searching.

AllPolitics (CNN) This link from the CNN webpage includes polls, issues, and analyses.
For recent political polls:

•  Go to Elections 2000
•  Open drop-down menu and select Polls

• Go to CNN mainpage
• Enter topic in text box preceded by + sign.  Add +poll* to limit to polls. Click on Find.

Hints:
• Put quotes ("") around words that should be searched as a phrase.
• Use * at the end of the root word "poll" to retrieve “polls” and “polling” as well.
• Place + before word or phrase if concept must be present.

Public Agenda Online  Subtitled "the journalist's inside source for public opinion and policy analysis," this site addresses 18 controversial issues: abortion, America's global role, crime, the
economy, education, the government, the family, the federal budget, gambling, health care, illegal drugs, immigration, Internet speech / privacy, Medicare, race, the right to die, social security, and welfare. Includes extensive information on each issue includes an overview, facts and trends, different perspectives, links to news stories, and the results of public opinion polls.

National Archive of Criminal Justice Data has as its mission to encourage research in the field of criminal justice through the preservation and sharing of data resources and through the provision of specialized training in quantitative analysis of crime and justice data.

City of Redding Police Department is a well maintained site that contains current local crime statistics.

Public Opinion Poll Question Database allows users to search for specific poll questions by using key words and then narrow by poll and date. Included are over 1000 Louis Harris Polls (going back to 1958) with more than 60,000 questions covering a diverse range of topics, as well as items from the National Network of State Polls, and others. Developed by the Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.