MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 MADGIC Presents: How to make the most of your data resources (and have fun in the process)

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009

MADGIC Presents: How to make the most of your data

resources (and have fun in the process)


What do I need to know about data?

The power of data – its uses and abuses Why numbers are important for your future

success Resources that are available to you for all your

classes How easy it is to incorporate data into your

work And… find out about employment

opportunities


Things to remember about surveys

Sponsorship (who paid for the study?)Do they have an agenda?

Example: 2006 polls on Israeli/Hezbollah conflictPoll 1 - 33% Canadians support Harper’s viewPoll 2 - 64% Canadians support Harper’s viewPoll 1 – conducted for Globe and MailPoll 2 – conducted for National Post

Note differences in question text, methodology


What They Asked:

Poll 2:— Does Israel have a right to defend itself? (82 per cent yes)— Was Iran wrong to arm Hezbollah and call for the destruction of Israel? (69

per cent yes)— Was Syria wrong to arm Hezbollah and disobey the United Nations resolution

requiring Syria to keep guns out of Lebanon? (68 per cent agreed)— Did Hezbollah in Lebanon start the war? (38 per cent yes)

Average agreement over 4 questions: 64%

Poll 1:— Prime Minister Harper characterized Israel’s bombing of Lebanon as a

measured response. Do you agree?33% either agreed or strongly agreed


More things to remember about surveys

Who collected the data? Do they have a reputation for accuracy? Do they have a track record?

Does the author use anecdotal evidence when data are available?Report on new ‘get tough’ measures stated that while StatCan

data showed a decrease in crime, their data showed an increaseUsed raw numbers and anecdotes to illustrate

o Increase in total numberso Decrease in crime rates


Are numbers important to me?“In fact, the labour market’s return to numeracy skills overshadowed the return to education. Hence, if well-educated adults were lacking in numeracy skills, they derived no benefit from any additional years of schooling.”

Results of the 2003 IALS (International Adult Literacy Survey) reported in the Statistics Canada Daily, May 11, 2005

In other words… If you are not numerate and you have one degree, you can’t expect to make money beyond a certain point, no matter how long you stay in school.


About the Data Centre(http://www.library.carleton.ca/ssdata)

Established in 1966 in the Social Sciences Faculty; now part of the Maps, Data and Government Information Centre (MADGIC)

Located near the MADGIC information desk on the main floor of the Library (see map)

Holds a wide variety of data sets from many different sources

Provides consultation on the use of data in teaching and research


Canadian Data Sources Statistics Canada through the Data Liberation Initiative Public opinion data

Gallup Canada (1945-2000)POLLARA (1990-2002)Listening to Canadians (2000-2003)Centre for Research and Information on

Canada (CRIC) (2001-2004) Canadian Election Surveys (1965-

2006)


What is the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI)?

The DLI represents a major breakthrough in access to Canadian survey data!

Includes all Statistics Canada’s public datafiles, databases and geographic files - over 300 anonymized surveys (microdata)

Restrictions on use for teaching and academic research

Now 13 years old; has 75 member institutions


Public Opinion Polls

Gallup Canada (1945-2000)Carleton has the most comprehensive collection of

these polls in existence

POLLARA (formerly Insight Canada Research)Quarterly reports (1992-2002)Special topics (1990-1998)

Millenium Scholarship FoundationStudent financial data (2001-2002)College Students Surveys (2003-2006)


More Public Opinion Polls

Canadian Information Office (CIO) (2000-2003)Listening to CanadiansAgency is now defunct

Centre for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) (2001-2004)Part of the Canadian Unity Council

Federalist agendaFunding cut by the current government


Election Surveys

Canadian election studies (1965-2006)Includes Referenda surveys

Foreign election surveys from:USAUKAustraliaEurope


ICPSR(http://www.icpsr.umich.edu)

Members from over 600 universities and research institutes

Includes more than 40,000 datasets (5000 studies)

Mostly US survey data but also includes a good collection of international data

Has a world-renowned summer school program in social statistics


ISSP (1985-2007)(http://www.issp.org)

Data from over 40 countries

Carleton collects Canadian data for this program on: Social inequality Environment Family and gender roles Role of government/national identity Religion Leisure and Sports


National and International Data on the Web

Innovation in data discovery and data use is occurring across the Web so you can: Search for questions across datasets Perform on-line analyses Create tables, graphs and charts to put into your

presentations Download data in SPSS, SAS, Stata, etc.


Canadian Data on the Web

The Data Centre is contributing to this growing body of research data

Web access is available to a limited but growing number of our surveys:

All Gallups (1945-2000) POLLARA polls* Student Financial Surveys* Canadian Unity Council (CRIC) Listening to Canadians*

* not in <odesi> because of licence restrictions


What is <odesi>? An Ontario university Web-based discovery and access

portal for data

Funded by university libraries and the Ontario government’s “OntarioBuys” program

9000 + surveys and polls

¼ million survey questions Statistics Canada data and B20/20 files Polling data from several companies through CORA at

Queen’s Gallup files contributed through Carleton


International data on the Web CESSDA Data Portal

Data from 13 European data producers

European Social Survey 31 countries, 4 rounds Completely open access

GESIS (Germany) ISSPs and Eurobarometers Several other data series

All these sources available via the Data Centre’s website at http://www.library.carleton.ca/ssdata/index.html


Contact Information

The Data Centre http://www.library.carleton.ca/ssdata/ Phone: 613 520 2600 extension 2619

Email: [email protected]

Wendy Watkins Phone: 613 520 2600 extension 8376 Email: [email protected]

Jane Fry Phone: 613 520 2600 extension 1121 Email: [email protected]

(Jane is your contact for employment opportunities)

Drop in and see us!

Documents

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 MADGIC Presents: How to make the most of your data resources (and have fun in the process)