Exploring the U.S. Census
Your Guide to America’s Data
- Frank Donnelly - Baruch College, CUNY, USA
Exploring the U.S. Census gives social science students and researchers alike the tools to understand, extract, process, and analyze data from the decennial census, the American Community Survey, and other data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. Donnelly's text provides a thorough background on the data collection methods, structures, and potential pitfalls of the census for unfamiliar researchers, collecting information previously available only in widely disparate sources into one handy guide. Hands-on, applied exercises at the end of the chapters help readers dive into the data.
Along the way, the author shows how best to analyze census data with open-source software and tools. Readers can freely evaluate the data on their own computers, in keeping with the free and open data provided by the Census Bureau. By placing the census in the context of the open data movement, this text makes the history and practice of the census relevant so readers can understand what a crucial resource the census is for research and knowledge.
Supplements
Visit study.sagepub.com/researchmethods/research-methods/donnelly-exploring-the-us-census to download supplementary exercises and data sets.
This text covers the tools you need to identify, access, and evaluate census data. When you are done, you will know enough about the census to select data that fits your use case, identify the tools that best fit your project, and be able to use these tools to explore, summarize and analyze your data. I think this text will be a great tool for anyone interested in working with census data.
The most comprehensive source book on the subject that will be invaluable for anyone doing research using census data.
It is interesting and easy to read and compiles information together that I often have a hard time gathering before covering the census in my course. I feel much more prepared just having read this draft. I teach geography and students make extensive use of census data, but don't have a good understanding of where it comes from and its possibilities and limitations. While reading the book, I was considering teaching our census data class that has been on the shelf for a while. I was inspired by the text to offer it!
This is a much-needed text that will help students, researchers, and practitioners understand and properly use census data.
This text is a welcome, comprehensive introduction to working with and understanding Census Data.
This is a most comprehensive guidebook to the use of the Census. The author's experience is invaluable.
This is a great practical book for navigating the largest public open data site - the US Census.
Sample Materials & Chapters
Chapter 1. Placing the Census in Context
Chapter 6. The American Community Survey