Presentation for NCLA College and University Section Mini-Conference

1. No Data Librarian, No Cry:
Supporting Data-Driven Research
Lynda Kellam

2. Anatomy of a Data Reference Interview
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
How?
W4H?

3. Who?

4. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational
institution, or other organization would want
to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

5. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational
institution, or other organization would want
to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

6. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational
institution, or other organization would want
to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

7. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational
institution, or other organization would want
to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

8. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational
institution, or other organization would want
to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

10. What?

11. What?
What type source are they looking for?
Statistics? Data files? Publications?
What indicators or variables do they need?
What populations are they examining?

12. Bratton, Michael, E. Gyimah-Boadi, and Robert Mattes. Afrobarometer Round 4: The Quality of Democracy and Governance in 20 African Countries, 2008-
2009. ICPSR33701-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2012-04-13. doi:10.3886/ICPSR33701.v1

13. Bratton, Michael, E. Gyimah-Boadi, and Robert Mattes. Afrobarometer Round 4: The Quality of Democracy and Governance in 20 African Countries, 2008-
2009. ICPSR33701-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2012-04-13. doi:10.3886/ICPSR33701.v1

14. What?
What type source are they looking for?
Statistics? Data files? Publications?
What indicators or variables do they need?
Socio-economic
Demographic
Religion
What populations are they examining?

15. What?
What type source are they looking for?
Statistics? Data files? Publications?
What indicators or variables do they need?
What populations are they examining?

16. When?

17. When?
What is the time frame of the request?
Is the time frame realistic?
What is the periodicity for collection (quarterly,
annually, every decade, or infrequently)?

18. When?
What is the time frame of the request?
Is the time frame realistic?
What is the periodicity for collection (quarterly,
annually, every decade, or infrequently)?

19. When?
What is the time frame of the request?
Is the time frame realistic?
What is the periodicity for collection (quarterly,
annually, every decade, or infrequently)?

20. Where?

21. Where?
What geographic areas are realistically
available?
What are the other possible geographies if the
desired area is not available?

22. Where?
What geographic areas are realistically
available?
What are the other possible geographies if the
desired area is not available?

25. How?

26. How?
Is the data freely available or does it require a
fee?
What are the limitations on the data’s use?
How was the data collected?

27. How?
Is the data freely available or does it require a
fee?
What are the limitations on the data’s use?
How was the data collected?

28. How?
Is the data freely available or does it require a
fee?
What are the limitations on the data’s use?
How was the data collected?

30. Try it out!
 I need data on immigration.
 Who?
 What?
 When?
 Where
 How?

31. References
 Kellam, L., & Peter, K. (2011). Numeric data services
& sources for the general reference librarian. Oxford:
Chandos Publishing.
 Peter, K., & Kellam, L. (2013). Data on the run: Data
and statistical sources for reference and instruction.
Retrieved from http://libguides.usc.edu/dataontherun
 Specifically from Think Like A Librarian:
http://libguides.usc.edu/content.php?pid=211088&sid=368
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