Finding Research Data

Introduction

What is research data?

Qualitative data

Qualitative data is observational and descriptive, relating to experiences and emotions and can come in the form of interview transcripts, focus groups, case studies diaries, questionnaires and surveys that include open questions and free-text responses. 

Use the tab at the top to explore sources of qualitative data.

To find out more about qualitative data and research methods, see Sage Research Methods.

Quantitative data

Quantitative data is numerical, objective, measurable and can be statistically analysed and can comes in the form of statistics, polls, market research, questionnaires and surveys with closed questions and multiple choice or yes/no responses.  

Use the tab at the top to explore sources of quantitative data.

To find out more about quantitative data and research methods, see Sage Research Methods.

How to find research data

You have access to a wide range of data sources.  The library provides access to data archives and specialist resources such as the UK Data Service, Mass Observation and the OECD iLibrary, available in the A-Z databases list, where you can filter by your subject discipline.

There are also an increasing number of free, open access sources of data online, such as government websites, digital repositories of academic institutions (including the University of Bristol data.bris), institutional organisations, research councils and subject focused collections. In recent years, researchers have been encouraged to publish their research data online, so more datasets are becoming available. However, not all researchers do this and it is less common in social sciences subjects.

A selection of open access data sources is available in the subject guides for sociology and for politics and international studies, under the 'Finding resources/subject databases &open access and research data tabs. Or you can use the tabs at the top for qualitative or quantitative data sources.

Using Google

Using a web search (such as Google) for data on a specific topic might not be the way to start your search.  You might get results for research outputs, such as journal articles, that refer to the datasets but do not include access. For example, if you are looking for interview transcripts, journal articles will discuss the methodology and generally include the interview questions in an appendix, but not the interviewee answers.  We recommend you use data repositories, archives and dataset search tools instead. 

Access

Not all data is available.  It might not have published or may require a subscription that the library doesn't have. Some data are sensitive, confidential, or too detailed and access may be safeguarded or controlled.  This might require you registering with the data website and accepting conditions or stating why you want access.  Or access might be restricted to experienced researchers, at PhD level or post-doctoral research.

Browse what's available

If you need to find data for an essay, assignment or dissertation, you might have a very specific topic in mind.  It is best to check what data is available before you progress too far.  Search relevant data sources for your topic to check you can access what you need. You might need to browse what data are available on broader topics and if necessary adapt your focus.  It is best to find out early on what's available, rather than assume you can access one type of data on a very defined topic, only to realise late on that it's not available.

We have a broad range of primary sources and archival material that can be used to collect data for your own research.  This includes material such as government documents, parliamentary papers, newspapers, magazines, video, speeches, letters, social and political cartoons. Primary source and archival material are available in the A-Z databases list where you can filter by your subject discipline.