a) You don't need to find EVERYTHING about your topic! 
        - Look for charts, graphics, and statistics that help illustrate the issue and inform about the topic.

b)  Use specific sources like books, databases, and websites designed to contain statistics. 
    - Try the Opposing Viewpoints database at the Articles & Databases page on the library's website.
    - Enter a general term such as water, food, population, etc. and check the statistics box to limit your search.

    - See other examples in the topic section below.

c)  Make sure the original source of the statistics is listed!!!
    - Here's an example at the bottom of pg 1 of this PDF from  University of Kansas on water usage.

d)  On the web, use search terms that ask for exactly what you want. For example:
    - global population projections
    - peak oil estimates
    - energy consumption statistics

e) Government agencies and Universities are fantastic sources of statistics on the web.  Use the advanced search in Google to search for ONLY .gov or .edu sites.



International Statistics on Topics from fossil fuels to crop production.  See the 2009 Statistical Abstract

ENERGY
The Information Plus Book Energy: Supplies, Sustainability, and Costs.  Available in printed format at the library or as an online E-book

Website - Annual Review of Energy - from the Energy Information Administration of the US Government, "The Annual Energy Review (AER) is the Energy Information Administration’s primary report of historical annual energy statistics. For many series, data begin with the year 1949. Included are data on total energy production, consumption, and trade; overviews of petroleum, natural gas, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, renewable energy, international energy, as well as financial and environmental indicators; and data unit conversion tables."

Website - University of Michigan Suggested Sites for Energy Consumption Statistics

POPULATION
World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision Published by the United Nations.  Population data and projections by continent.  See the main UN Home Page for Population Data for other more detailed sources.

United States Population Projections from the Census Bureau.  For data by each state and other topics, see the Census Bureau Home Page for Populations

CHINA & INDIA
The USDA Economic Research Service has links to a few sources of data regarding international food and agriculture topics.

FOOD
USDA Farm Energy Options Center for information about biofuels, hydro, wind, etc.

USDA National Agriculture Statistics - this links to Chemical Usage Reports in Agriculture (think fertilizer and herbicides.) Other categories of statistics are available in the left hand menu of the page.

NOAA Fisheries Statistics - contains links for US and international fishery information.

FINANCIAL
Treasury Direct - Oh my!  Visit this government website and see how far in debt the US is at this moment and how it's grown since 2000
Historical Tables of the US Government Budget - see many pages about our spending, surpluses and debt through the country's history.
Bureau of Economic Analysis - see section on personal income and outlays for an idea of an average of people's spending. 

WATER/ICE
UN Water Statistics and Graphs.  Nope, it's not from the United Nations, but this organization presents very visual impressions of water use statistics and does list the original source for each item it has gathered.
Worldometers - contains several links to excellent sources of water data of all types.
Big Melt Down: Columbia Ice Fields - a professor's web page for a class analyzing the topic. Fantastic background information and data.

MANUFACTURING
U.S. Census Bureau Manufacturing Information. See inventory, shipments and orders as well as the survey of manufacturers.
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Try the producer price index area.  You can generate custom data tables with a list of industry areas. 

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Created by Laurie Shuster, Reference & Instruction Librarian
Modified 10/21/09