Find Data
For some research topics, there may be existing data to use in your project. When searching for research data, keep these points in mind.
- Finding data takes time and effort. Assembling a dataset may also require working with multiple sources, with data in different file formats and structures. Allow yourself time to search multiple sources, to clean data so that they are usable, and to request assistance with locating and acquiring specialized datasets and/or cleaning them.
- Data quality may vary. Some data sources provide files "as is" with minimal documentation about the data. An established data archive, such as the ICPSR, is more likely to include complete information with datasets (e.g. data dictionaries or codebooks).
- Accessing specialized data may cost money, either as a subscription or a one-time fee. The library considers requests to purchase research datasets for the Emory community.
Resources to Find Data at Emory
- Data Services from Emory Libraries: for quantitative data for use in statistical analysis.
- Maps and Geospatial Data: for geospatial data for use in spatial analysis and geographic information systems (GIS).
- Public Health Resources: for data and tools of interest to health sciences researchers.
- Clinical Research Data Repositories: Emory has systems of existing clinical and health data available for research purposes. Find data from sources at Emory University research centers and Emory Healthcare.
Using data
For more information about resources at Emory to help when you’re using research data, see Analyze Your Data.
How to cite others' data
If you're using any data that you did not personally collect or generate, you should always cite the original source. See our page on Citing Data for more information and examples of how to format data citations.