Where Can and Do Our Students Find Data -- And How Can We Steer them to Reputable Data? Kristin Partlo Carleton College

Hannah’s Story Junior beginning to prepare for capstone project - wants to work over the summer Started with the data specialist (Paula) “Somebody in ITS who’s really good with statistics…” Once suspicious, Paula referred her to me “How do I search for data that’s complete?” In the very first stages of forming a topic

Undergrads are just learning quantitative reasoning skills

…So they need lots of help Undergrads are at a stage where they lack: Knowledge What data are “out there” Familiarity with the body of literature in their area Knowledge of specialized tools Habits Ability to use the literature instrumentally Instinct to look for and use data documentation Patience to read while searching Ability to take effective notes Experience Don’t come to the service point with clearly defined need Expectations of the “search” for data Unproblematized conception of numbers as unauthored facts

Where do they find data?

“Standard” social science data sources

Government Web Sites

IGOs Data Products

Where they find data “Standard” social science data sources from ICPSR, data archives, etc. Government web sites IGOs data products Research institutions Data project web sites Disciplinary associations and tools and journal web sites Individual researchers’ web sites Files procured directly by students IGOs non-data products Harvested from print sources Wikipedia Self-made datasets with GIS-derived variables

But how do they find it? Wouldn’t that be great to know? Faculty recommendations Google Recommendations from other students My secret wish: ethnographic user studies

What can we do to direct them to reputable data?

Direct and Indirect Strategies Direct Provide them with tools and strategies Publicize services and improve approachability and availability Indirect At sites of support, improve referrals On campus, get involved…

Data fluency -- developing habits of research Help them become familiar with using the literature instrumentally (Hannah example)Hannah example Model good searching behavior, walking through searches, taking example notes, and articulating clues. This is especially important for teaching students to look for and use documentation (BLS example).BLS example

Finding Aids and Search Tools

Publicize

Strengthen Cooperation Among Service Points Referrals Training general reference staff and subject librarians about data sources Team teach when possible

Work with Campus Data Fluency Efforts Get involved in the QR effort Communicate with faculty Know the assignments Get into classes