From the credibility standpoint, things get a little squirrely when you see something posted as authoritative on the internet. Buzz Kill- Everything posted online is not factual, regardless of how many links may point to it. How do you know if it is true? Accurate?
How do I find Credible Data Sources?
Reality is never present data that you cannot vouch for its authenticity. Click Here to look at some examples of inaccurate social media posts. The United States Government even felt it necessary to have a law. While this certainly does not stop people from making outrageous claims, you can do some research before you present data. Go to the source!
Listed below are some of my favorite credible data sources.
www.census.gov
https://crispinc.org/federal-government-resources/
www.census.gov/economic-indicators/
http://www.pewresearch.org/
http://www.gallup.com/home.aspx
https://www.google.com/publicdata/directory
https://tinyletter.com/data-is-plural ( You can look at Data without subscribing- just click View Letter Archive)
https://osf.io/ Open Science Network- This one is a BEAST!
https://scholar.google.com/
https://books.google.com/
Dig Deep. Dig Often.
These data sources are also handy when creating Infographics.
Here is more information on How to Find Accurate and Compelling Data by Ross Crooks.
Where to Find Good Data
Luckily, many reliable sources can give you access to a wealth of data on various subjects. Here are a few to get you started.
General Data/Research
- UNData: A statistical database of all UN data.
- Amazon Public Data Sets: A repository of large data sets relating to biology, chemistry, economics, etc., including the Human Genome Project.
- Pew Research: Public opinion polls, demographic research, media studies, etc.
Academic Studies/White Papers
- Google Scholar: A wide array of information, including articles, theses, books, abstracts, white papers, court opinions, etc.
Financial Data
- Google Finance: Real-time stock market data.
- Google Public Data Explorer: Searchable large datasets on economic development worldwide.
Government/World Data
- The CIA World Factbook: Global information on history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, etc.
- U.S. Census Bureau: Demographics, geographic information, and education for U.S. population.
- Data.gov: An open data source for U.S. government data.
Social Data
- SocialMention: Real-time social data.
- Google Trends: Explore search data and trends.
- Social Science Data Resources: Search social trends.
Health Data
- Healthdata.gov: Data on Medicaid, Medicare, clinical studies, treatments, etc.
- CDC.gov: Public health data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
You craft a credible, informative, and persuasive message only when you have good data from a solid source.
