Statistics and Data--What is the Difference?

Definitions:

Statistics: "The practice or science of collecting and analysing numerical data in large quantities, especially for the purpose of inferring proportions in a whole from those in a representative sample."

 Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.)

Data: "For social science, data is generally numeric files originating from social research methodologies or administrative records, from which statistics are produced."
     ICPSR Glossary of Social Science Terms

Using Data to Discover and Explore the Stories of Enslaved People

Data Maps

 For local information, the Boston Planning and Development Agency webpage includes data, maps and aerial photographs.

National
Black Progress Index: Examining the social factors that influence Black well-being

The World

Data Visualizations gone wrong--just because it's visualized data, it may not make sense!

Find Statistics, Data and Maps

Sample graphic from Statista:

Survey question data:

Gallup. (July 26, 2013). Black Americans: Which term do you prefer "African-American" or "black," or does it not matter to you either way? [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 06, 2023, from https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.neu.edu/statistics/262762/preference-of-black-americans-on-labelling-themselves/

More sources for US statistics:

Sources for International Statistics:

  • Eurostat contains statistics from the European Union

  • Population Reference Bureau (PRB) "informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations." Use the DataFinder to browse for data geographically and by topic.

  • UNdata originates from the United Nations

  • World Health Data Collections

We explore the diverse views and experiences of Black people in America with in-depth surveys and other research. Our work focuses on three themes: Black identity, the economic and social mobility of Black people in America, and Black representation in American political and social life. NOTE: Tools & Resources includes data sets.
 

 

Boston


United States

International

Data Visualizations gone wrong--just because it's visualized data, it may not make sense!