Data 101
The Data 101 Resource Guide provides an overview of library support and resources related to using, finding, visualizing and managing your data throughout the research process.
The Libraries offer many workshops, both virtual and in person, from conducting literature reviews to data visualization and management and more. Check out our list of workshops and register at the CMU Libraries workshop page.
Do you have data-related questions or need help with a data project? We are here to help!
The University Libraries offer Data Services and Research Consultations! These office hours provide in-person or virtual consultations to students, staff, faculty, and researchers in Pittsburgh. Library specialists are available to help at any point across the research data lifecycle, which includes data collecting, cleaning, structuring and integration, data management, data analysis, coding in R and Python, data sharing, and scholarly communications. Book an in-person consultation or virtual appointment!
LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that facilitates access to the Libraries' full text resources as you find research on the web. LibKey Nomad provides one-click access to full text from websites like PubMed, Wikipedia and publisher pages. Install the plug-in for Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or other browsers by going to this LibKey Nomad download page and choosing Carnegie Mellon University as your institution when prompted.
These are just a few resources that might be useful to you in your research for Heinz College systems projects. The Libraries offers hundreds of databases and other types of resources that might be useful, so feel free to contact me any time you have questions!
Archive of social sciences data. Data primarily from survey of public opinion. NOTE: Register for a free account with your CMU email address for full access to Roper iPoll content.
A data archive of datasets related to social and political research, made available through the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan. CMU affiliates have access to member-only data. To create an account, click Log In from the home page and then Create Account. Note that you must be in the CMU IP range when creating an account (either on campus, or using the Full VPN). Once an account is created, you can access the resource from any location using the link above. Use this guide for more info.
In-depth financial/valuation data resource, including information on equities, credit ratings, transactions, and more. Use hundreds of data points to generate lists of companies, markets, executives. Includes an Excel plug-in for data analysis. Create an account using your CMU email address by following these directions. Capital IQ is available only for users on the Pittsburgh campus.
A comprehensive global database of private companies and investors activities. Contains advanced searches for private companies, investors, and deals information (especially private equity and venture capital). Also great for news on emerging markets. An excellent resource for startups and entrepreneurship research. (NOTE: You must create an account using your CMU email).
Data and statistics are gathered and disseminated by many organizations, federal agencies, individual researchers, companies and more, often making it difficult to find just the data or statistic you need. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you embark on a search for data and statistics:
While the terms data and statistics are often used interchangeably, they actually aren't the same! Data refers to the raw information that is collected and if often in the form of a spreadsheet, where each row represents one case. Statistics are summaries of data, often provided as a percentage, proportion, or average value. Do you need raw data or a summary statistic to answer your question?
Think about what time frame and geography you're interested in. Do you need historical information, or information spanning several years? Or just the most current information? Do you want information at a country, state or local level? Do you need international, non-US data or statistics?
Think about who would likely collect the data and disseminate the data or statistics for you topic. Would this data be collected by a large federal agency in a nationwide survey? If so, which agency? Or would it be more likely collected by a non-profit organization at a local scale?
There are many places to look for data. Here is a series of search strategies to try. You'll find links to many of these sources in this research guide.
Zotero is a popular free open source citation management tool that makes saving and citing online resources, including websites, YouTube videos, news articles, and scholarly database results, a breeze. Some of Zotero's strengths include its ability to capture a multitude of resource types with the click of a button, and its group library function, with no limit on group membership. For more about Zotero, see this guide.
Sage Campus provides access to a growing collection of online courses on introductory skills and research methods including critical thinking, data literacy, research design, R and Python, statistical methods and more. NOTE: You must create an account by clicking on the "Register" link in the upper right-hand corner using your CMU email address. If you are an instructor, please contact Sarah Young to upgrade your account in order to manage student cohorts.
