Analytics (ANLY) and Data Science Research Guide

This guide will help you learn how to conduct research for projects that require the use of data and statistics.

If you are new to the research process or have not used an academic library in some time, you may want to review the following guides:

• Getting Started with Your Research - this page will help you learn how library databases work and how to use them efficiently.
• Advanced Search - this page will help you learn how to choose resources and structure searches to make them as specific as possible.

In addition, you may find it helpful to review the following

• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Avoidance - learn how and when to cite, and how to work ethically
• Artificial Intelligence Guide for Students - how artificial intelligence works, and what uses are acceptable and not acceptable with university work

The menu items on this page will help you locate data sets and use them ethically.

Data vs. Statistics

Data
Research data are the evidence used to answer research questions and support findings. They can come in many forms—print, digital, or physical—and include both numbers (quantitative data) and descriptive information (qualitative data). Researchers gather data through various methods such as experiments, observations, interviews, modeling, or by using existing sources.

Data can be:

• Raw or Primary – directly collected from a source (e.g. measurements or survey responses)
• Processed or Derived – cleaned, summarized, or extracted from larger datasets for analysis
• Collected from existing sources - created or owned by others

The value of data lies in how researchers use them to support their arguments or conclusions. Data are considered key parts of the research process because they provide the foundation for claims and analysis. (Refer to the Concordat on Open Research Data for more details.)

Statistics
Statistics are summaries of raw data that turn raw data into easy-to-understand summaries, often shown as charts, tables, or key figures.. They are obtained by analyzing raw data using mathematical calculations. Statistics can provide key insights in easy-to-understand formats such as tables and charts, may not allow for customization or further calculation. Examples of statistics would be graphical representations (like charts and tables) commonly seen in articles and popular media.