Skip to Main Content

Statistics and Data

Australian and international statistics and data.

Evaluating

It is important to evaluate statistical sources and data.

Questions to ask include:

Are the statistics relevant to your research?
Look at the type, depth and time range of data, and consider possible biases.

Are the statistics reliable?
Are they from an authoritative source such as the government or a recognised international organisation?

What methodology was used?
Many sources of statistics document the methodology used.

Warning: different data collection methods across countries

International statistics are dependent on the collection of data by national governments and other agencies, so the types, depth and dates of data are not always consistent between countries.

Collection of data within individual countries

  • changes over time
  • may be inconsistent across states
  • and can be disrupted by events such as regime change and war

 


Library Instagram

Library Blogs

Library Contacts