Few people get through their school or college career these days without having to carry out a research project at some stage, probably starting with GCSEs.
Whatever your topic, there's a good chance that at some point you may need some statistics to back up your arguments.
The Library and Central Enquiries Unit at the Office for National Statistics receives hundreds of requests for help from students every year, so the following few tips are the result of long experience. We hope you find them helpful.
Five points to ponder
- Don't rush it
- Choose carefully
- Look
- Limit time
- Don't panic
1. Don't rush it
Allow yourself enough time to do the project. If you are given a whole term or summer holiday to do a project, don't leave it until the last minute. Many organisations may be able to offer advice on where to find information, but no one is going to do the project for you. You may have to contact a number of organisations, or visit specialist libraries or other sources of information.
2. Choose your topic carefully
It may be that you are set a specific topic to research as part of an exam syllabus. If this is so, it is reasonable to assume that the examining board know that the information needed is fairly easily accessible to students all over the country. Your tutor ought to be aware of the relevant sources of information and be able to advise.
If your school or college has its own library, the library staff will also be able to help you. Don't worry if they look busy or harassed, that's what they're there for. Don't forget that your local public library is probably also a mine of information.
If you are allowed to choose your own topic for research, please bear in mind the following .....
3. Look before you leap
Do not assume that published information is readily available on every known human activity from the dawn of time. It takes a lot of resources to collect and publish statistical and other information. The government does not spend money on collecting figures that have no practical use.
Information on new or highly specialised products may be classified, because of the small number of companies involved.
It is not easy to get information on small, local geographical areas, but remember that local newspapers and Chambers of Commerce can be very useful.
It is far better to look at what is available in general terms, and then choose your topic, rather than pick something that is too specialised and then find nothing.
4. Limit your time span
Avoid the temptation to cover too long a time period in your research. It may well be that information on a particular industry is available over a fifty year span, but you may have to look at fifty separate volumes to get it. Few non-specialist libraries will keep runs of figures longer than 10 years.
5. Don't panic
If you have followed the suggestions above, and you're still stuck, try having a look at the Time Series Data on the ONS Web site. This is a comprehensive database of more than 40,000 time series from major National Statistics economic and socio-economic releases. If you really can't find what you want, then try contacting the ONS general help and advice line on 0845 601 3034 or you can email them on info@statistics.gov.uk.