“i’m looking for…” answers with census resources ray c. walling government documents intern...

“I’m looking for…” Answers with Census Resources

Ray C. WallingGovernment Documents InternNumeric and Spatial Data Intern

Resource Demonstration Today we will discuss online resources

that might help you answer census related reference questions.

Resources to be discussed include:American FactFinderSocial ExplorerNHGISHistorical Census Browser

For those participating, you can go to the following web page for links to the resources being discussed: Government Documents Center Website:

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/hiscenpub.html

Can I help you?

I need to find a statistic/map for…

Where do I go from here?

Break the question down into facets

What resource meets the criteria: Map vs. Statistic Coverage of Decades Coverage of Geographies Coverage of Topics Ability to do complex searches Speed


Part I: Statistical Search

I’m looking for…

“I’m looking for recent information on the number of people by age and sex for census tracts of Flint, MI. Can you help me?”

– Student Question in Early June

Breaking Down the Question

Break down the questionDecade

2000Geography

Census Tracts of Flint, MIQuestion Topic(s)

Age by sex

Try: American FactFinder, Social Explorer, or NHGIS

American FactFinder

Website: http://www.factfinder.census.gov Coverage

Decades: 1990 and 2000 Geographies: Detailed

Other Qualities Creates detailed maps Capable of very complex queries Average Speed

American FactFinder

Summary Files (page 2-3) Many ways to download information Census glossary available Also provides the: American Community

Survey, Puerto Rico Community Survey, Annual Population Estimates, Economic Census, and the Annual Economic Surveys

Social Explorer

Website: http://socialexplorer.com Coverage

Decades: 1940-2000 Geographies: US, State, County, Census Tract, (2000

Congressional Districts) Other Qualities

Can create maps quickly Not able to create queries Quick in general

Social Explorer

ProblemsPublic version has gaps in coveragePre-defined variables are not always

consistent over decades and in representationOnly downloadable in MS Excel

NHGIS

Website: http://www.nhgis.org/ Coverage

Decades: 1790-2000 Geographies to 1900: US, State, County Geographies 1910 onward: Detailed

Other Qualities Not able to create queries, but many tables to choose

from Must have an account (free)

Many ways to download information

Excuse Me…

“Excuse me, can you help me find the population of Chatam County, GA around 1790?”


Break down the question Decade

1790 Excludes: American FactFinder, Social Explorer

Geography Chatam County

Question Topic Population

Speed Quick Excludes: NHGIS

Try: Historical Census Browser

Historical Census Browser

Website: http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/

Coverage Decades: 1790-1960 Geographies: State, County

Other Qualities No U.S. totals Quick, low quality maps Quickest of the online services Quick comparison over the decades Not for complex queries, limited data

Excuse Me…

“Can you compare this data from 1790 through 1860?”


Part II: Maps

Excuse Me…

“Can you help me find a way to compare the population in Chatam County, GA to the other counties of the state for 1790?”




Geography Chatam County

Question Topic Population

Type of Data Map for easy comparison across the state


HELP……………………………..

“I have a presentation at 2pm and need a map showing the number of people of Hispanic origin in Chester County, PA in 2000.”



2000 Excludes: Historical Census Browser

Geography Chester County, PA

Question Topic Hispanic Origin

Try: Social Explorer

HELP……………………………..

“Can you provide a comparison map to 1990?”

Find me…..

“Find me a map of the median age of the population of counties within Michigan for 2000. I have to be somewhere in 10 minutes.”




Geography State: Michigan

Question Topic Median Age

Try: American FactFinder


Part III: Guided Practice

Sample Question #1

“I work for La Comunidad Hispania of Kennett Square (borough), PA and want to find out average family size of Hispanic families vs. the community average for 2000.”

Selecting the online resource



Geography Place: Kennett Square

Topic Family size by race (complex) Exclude: Social Explorer

Try: American FactFinder (Summary File 2)

Sample Question #2

“I want to trace the decline of slavery in Pennsylvania after the Gradual Abolition Act of 1780 until the Civil War (1860).”



1790-1860 Excludes: American FactFinder, Social Explorer

Geography State: Pennsylvania

Question Topic(s) Slavery

Type of Info Needed Statistic (over time) Probably Exclude NHGIS


Sample Question #3

“I am trying to figure out the areas of the continental United States with the most number of people without education in 1940”



1940 Excludes: American FactFinder

Geography Areas of Continental United States Thought: Might be good to have a detailed map Exclude: NHGIS and historical census browser

Question Topic(s) Education

Try: Social Explorer

Sample Question #4

“What was the estimated number of volumes that the University of Michigan Libraries had in 1850?”




Geography University of Michigan Intuitive: Since limited number of universities/colleges in

1850, probably can find it by a larger geographic group. Question Topic(s)

Education>College>Libraries Try: NHGIS (or Historical Census Browser)


Any Other Questions?