Statistics

Contents

The problems with statistics

  • Statistics are produced in huge quantities
  • They are produced by a large number of organisations
  • The data is very complex
  • Readers' requirements are even more complex. Figures, for example, are often found but not in the form required

Who produces statistics

  • International bodies such as the UN, OECD, IMF, WHO, FAO, EU
  • National governments
  • Professional bodies, employers’ associations, unions, charities, pressure groups, associations
  • Commercial organisations such as companies, banks, building societies
  • Publishers eg. Europa

International bodies - where to look

  • International statistical sources (Instat) (R)HA 155 F5
    Instat provides a subject index approach which then directs readers to sources.
  • Agency catalogue, HMSO (R)Z 2009 C351
    The Agency catalogue lists the publications of the main international bodies such as the UN, OECD and EU. There is a keyword index.
  • Basic statistics of the European Union EC/7.1 BAS

National governments - where to look - UK

  • Guide to official statistics. Enquiry Desk at the Brynmor Jones Library
    Look by subject in the index. The Guide then shows what sources to look at.
  • Government department libraries are a valuable source of statistical information, simply ring and ask for help. Enquiry Desk staff will provide numbers.
  • British historical statistics. Mitchell, BR (R)HC 253 M6
  • You can also find historical statistics for Britain by looking in the General indexes to Parliamentary Papers. Ask Enquiry Desk staff for help.

National governments - other countries

  • Statistics America. J M Harvey (R)HA 4175 H3
  • Statistics Europe. J M Harvey (R)HA 1107 H3
    Both books by Harvey provide a subject approach to searching for the statistical publications from the Americas & Europe respectively
  • International historical statistics: Africa, Asia, Oceania, 1750-1993 (R)HA 1956 M6
  • International historical statistics: Americas, 1750-1993 (R)HA 4175 M6
  • International historical statistics: Europe, 1815-1975 (R)HC 240 M6
  • State, economy and society in western Europe, 1815-1975 (R)HA 1107 F6
  • Statistical history of the United States (R)HA 4195 S7
  • Statistical abstract of the United States (R)HA 4202 S7
  • Statistical yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany (R)HA 1231 G37

Commercial publishers

There are several important yearbooks which contain statistical information.

  • Whitaker's almanac (R)AY 40 W5 (kept at Brynmor Jones Library Enquiry Desk)
  • Stateman's yearbook (R)AY 40 S7 (kept at Brynmor Jones Library Enquiry Desk)
  • World economic factbook (R)HC 59 W9
  • Nordic statistical yearbook (R)HA 1461 Y39
  • Europa publications for example:- Europa world yearbook (R)AY 40 E8
  • United Nations Demographic Yearbook (R)HA 1 U5 D3
  • United Nations Statistical Yearbook (R)HA 1 U5 S7

Other organisations

Many bodies produce statistics for their particular areas of interest, for example Shelter may be a good source for figures on homelessness. Many organisations of this kind have libraries and will provide help if requested.

  • Directory of British associations (R)AS 118 D5
    This directory allows readers to search by subject and states whether or not statistics are kept, and if there is a library service.
  • Directory of information sources in the UK (R)Z 791 A8
    This publication lists libraries that have collections of statistics.

Company statistical information

Companies are required to keep and publish statistics about themselves. The best source for this information available in the Brynmor Jones Library is:-

  • FAME (Financial Analysis Made Easy) on the web gives details of over 200,000 British companies (fame.bvdep.com. You will need an Athens password, available from the Library Enquiry Desk).
  • BizEd at www.bized.ac.uk. See Data, then Company Reports
  • Northcote at www.northcote.co.uk. Links to annual reports
  • CAROL - Company Annual Reports On Line. On the World Wide Web at http://www.carol.co.uk/
  • Corporate Reports at www.corpreports.co.uk. Free access to summary reports of UK listed companies.

Internet

There is not a great deal of statistical information on the Internet, but there is data about statistics publishers such as governments. These will show what sources exist; try the two following sites:-

  • Social Sciences Information Gateway (Sosig) www.sosig.ac.uk
    Once into Sosig look at world sources and then consult the statistics section. Try British sources too.
  • British Government pages - www.open.gov.uk/
    On this site you can search by subjects and government and local government departments, look particularly for the Office for National Statistics, which contains some statistical data.

Eurostat, URL europa.eu.int/eurostat.html produce statistics for the EU as a whole, and almost all EU national statistical institutes offer services on the Internet, which are useful sources for up to date basic statistics about each state, follow the links provided by Eurostat, (http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/eurostat/serven/part8/8a1.htm).

For US statistics try Fedstats URL www.fedstats.gov

International organisations such as OECD www.oecd.org and UNECE www.unece.org/stats have Web pages.

BizEd (www.bized.ac.uk) has a link to Penn world Data giving online statistics covering all the major world economies from 1960.

Enquiry Desk

If you are still having trouble ask at the Library Enquiry Desk, in person or by email to Libhelp@acs.hull.ac.uk.

Health Library

The Health Library (East Riding Campus) has a small collection of statistical sources, including the 1991 Humberside Census Report, Annual Abstract of Statistics, General Household Survey, Family Expenditure Survey, Social Trends and Regional Trends. The collection is listed on the library catalogue and is for use in the library only. To access it, please enquire at the Health Library.