Otis College LibGuides: Advertising/Branding Research Guide: Statistics and Demographics

Websites with Good Data

American Customer Satisfaction Index
Analyzes customer satisfaction for household products and services available to U.S. consumers
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Data for US, regional, state, local areas
ClickZ
Digital marketing community with reports and analysis.
UN iLibrary
FREE Read-only access to most publications, journals, data, and series published by the United Nations Secretariat, and its funds and programs.
US Census Bureau
Collects and disseminates data gathered from various surveys and instruments, including the Population Census conducted every 10 years.
World Trade Organization
International organization that deals with trade between nations.

Go to the Business Resources Guide for more website recommendations, databases, and tools.

Data About Los Angeles and California

California Demographics Reports
Research and analysis based on census data from 1990, 2000, and 2010.
Community Facts: Los Angeles County
Browse U.S. Census Bureau data for LA county in American FactFinder
LAPD Crime Mapping
Crime statistics searchable by type and location.
LAPL Business, Company & Consumer Information
Selected list of free resources on banking, real estate, companies, statistics, small businesses, and more, with a focus on California and Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health - Data & Statistics
Browse all publicly available data
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Mapping LA Neighborhoods
Interactive map of Los Angeles neighborhoods, designed to be a tool for reporters and editors to be consistent when describing neighborhoods in news stories.
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York and Fig
Radio series and website. Deep dive into the gentrification and economic changes in Highland Park in 2015. Produced by the Wealth and Poverty Desk of Marketplace.

Pew Research Center

Pew Research Center is a non-partisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.

Research areas include:

Opposing Viewpoints Database

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Information on various sides of social issues. You can limit by using the term STATISTICS.

CAUTION: Data Manipulation

Whenever you are working with statistics, be mindful of the underlying data:

Who gathered the data? Why are they gathering it?
How did they collect the data? Was the data self-reported?
What questions were asked? Did they including leading questions?
What is the sample size? Is it large enough to be significant?
Who is reporting the data? Why?

Learn more about thinking critically about statistics:

Mona Chalabi: 3 Ways to Spot a Bad Statistic: TED talk

The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics by Grady Klein; Alan Dabney The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics is the most imaginative and accessible introductory statistics course you'll ever take. Employing an irresistible cast of dragon-riding Vikings, lizard-throwing giants, and feuding aliens, the renowned illustrator Grady Klein and the award-winning statistician Alan Dabney teach you how to collect reliable data, make confident statements based on limited information, and judge the usefulness of polls and the other numbers that you're bombarded with every day. If you want to go beyond the basics, they've created the ultimate resource: "The Math Cave," where they reveal the more advanced formulas and concepts. Timely, authoritative, and hilarious, The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics is an essential guide for anyone who wants to better navigate our data-driven world.
Call Number: QA276 K544 2013
ISBN: 9780809033669
Publication Date: 2013-07-02
No BS (Bad Stats) by Ivory A. Toldson What if everything you thought you knew about Black people generally, and educating Black children specifically, was based on BS (bad stats)? Ivory A. Toldson uses data analysis, anecdotes, and powerful commentary to dispel common myths and challenge conventional beliefs about educating Black children. With provocative, engaging, and at times humorous prose, Toldson teaches educators, parents, advocates, and students how to avoid BS, raise expectations, and create an educational agenda for Black children that is based on good data, thoughtful analysis, and compassion. No BS helps people understand why Black people need people who believe in Black people enough not to believe every bad thing they hear about Black people.
Call Number: E-Book
ISBN: 9789004397040
Publication Date: 2019-02-01

Data Literacy
Research guide about statistics and information literacy created by MLIS students at Pratt
Correlation Does Not Imply Causation
Introduction to correlation vs. causation when evaluating statistics
Polling methods are changing, but reporting the views of Asian Americans remains a challenge
Pew Research Center report by Courtney Kennedy and Neil G. Ruiz, July 1, 2020
The Problem with Statistics... TikTok collaboration by wordy.talk and alex.on.keys about the dangers of over-reporting and under-sampling