MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 MADGIC Presents: How to make the most of your data resources (and have fun in the process)

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 What do I need to know about data? uThe power of data – its uses and abuses uWhy numbers are important for your future success uResources that are available to you for all your classes uHow easy it is to incorporate data into your work uAnd… find out about employment opportunities

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 Things to remember about surveys uSponsorship (who paid for the study?) Do they have an agenda? uExample: 2006 polls on Israeli/Hezbollah conflict Poll % Canadians support Harper’s view Poll % Canadians support Harper’s view  Poll 1 – conducted for Globe and Mail  Poll 2 – conducted for National Post Note differences in question text, methodology

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 What They Asked: uPoll 2: — Does Israel have a right to defend itself? (82 per cent yes) — Was Iran wrong to arm Hezbollah and call for the destruction of Israel? (69 per cent yes) — Was Syria wrong to arm Hezbollah and disobey the United Nations resolution requiring Syria to keep guns out of Lebanon? (68 per cent agreed) — Did Hezbollah in Lebanon start the war? (38 per cent yes) Average agreement over 4 questions: 64% uPoll 1: — Prime Minister Harper characterized Israel’s bombing of Lebanon as a measured response. Do you agree? 33% either agreed or strongly agreed

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 More things to remember about surveys uWho collected the data?  Do they have a reputation for accuracy?  Do they have a track record? uDoes the author use anecdotal evidence when data are available? Report on new ‘get tough’ measures stated that while StatCan data showed a decrease in crime, their data showed an increase  Used raw numbers and anecdotes to illustrate o Increase in total numbers o Decrease in crime rates

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 Are numbers important to me? “In fact, the labour market’s return to numeracy skills overshadowed the return to education. Hence, if well-educated adults were lacking in numeracy skills, they derived no benefit from any additional years of schooling.” Results of the 2003 IALS (International Adult Literacy Survey) reported in the Statistics Canada Daily, May 11, 2005 In other words… If you are not numerate and you have one degree, you can’t expect to make money beyond a certain point, no matter how long you stay in school.

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 About the Data Centre ( )  Established in 1966 in the Social Sciences Faculty; now part of the Maps, Data and Government Information Centre (MADGIC)  Located near the MADGIC information desk on the main floor of the Library (see map)see map  Holds a wide variety of data sets from many different sources  Provides consultation on the use of data in teaching and research

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 Canadian Data Sources uStatistics Canada through the Data Liberation Initiative uPublic opinion data  Gallup Canada ( )  POLLARA ( )  Listening to Canadians ( )  Centre for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) ( ) uCanadian Election Surveys ( )

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 What is the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI)? uThe DLI represents a major breakthrough in access to Canadian survey data!DLI uIncludes all Statistics Canada’s public datafiles, databases and geographic files - over 300 anonymized surveys (microdata) uRestrictions on use for teaching and academic research uNow 13 years old; has 75 member institutions

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 Public Opinion Polls uGallup Canada ( )  Carleton has the most comprehensive collection of these polls in existence uPOLLARA (formerly Insight Canada Research)  Quarterly reports ( )  Special topics ( ) uMillenium Scholarship Foundation  Student financial data ( )  College Students Surveys ( )

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 More Public Opinion Polls uCanadian Information Office (CIO) ( )  Listening to Canadians  Agency is now defunct uCentre for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) ( ) Part of the Canadian Unity Council  Federalist agenda  Funding cut by the current government

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 Election Surveys uCanadian election studies ( )  Includes Referenda surveys uForeign election surveys from:  USA  UK  Australia  Europe

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 ICPSR ( uMembers from over 600 universities and research institutes uIncludes more than 40,000 datasets (5000 studies) uMostly US survey data but also includes a good collection of international data uHas a world-renowned summer school program in social statistics

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 ISSP ( ) ( uData from over 40 countries uCarleton collects Canadian data for this program on:  Social inequality  Environment  Family and gender roles  Role of government/national identity  Religion  Leisure and Sports

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 National and International Data on the Web uInnovation in data discovery and data use is occurring across the Web so you can:  Search for questions across datasets  Perform on-line analyses  Create tables, graphs and charts to put into your presentations  Download data in SPSS, SAS, Stata, etc.

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 Canadian Data on the Web The Data Centre is contributing to this growing body of research data Web access is available to a limited but growing number of our surveys:  All Gallups ( )  POLLARA polls*  Student Financial Surveys*  Canadian Unity Council (CRIC)  Listening to Canadians* * not in because of licence restrictions

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 What is ? uAn Ontario university Web-based discovery and access portal for data uFunded by university libraries and the Ontario government’s “OntarioBuys” program u surveys and polls u¼ million survey questions  Statistics Canada data and B20/20 files  Polling data from several companies through CORA at Queen’s  Gallup files contributed through Carleton

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 International data on the Web uCESSDA Data Portal  Data from 13 European data producers uEuropean Social Survey  31 countries, 4 rounds  Completely open access uGESIS (Germany)  ISSPs and Eurobarometers  Several other data series uAll these sources available via the Data Centre’s website at

MADGIC Workshop Series, 2009 Contact Information The Data Centre Phone: extension Wendy Watkins Phone: extension Jane Fry Phone: extension  (Jane is your contact for employment opportunities) Drop in and see us!