Counseling & Psychology

Finding statistics for counseling assignments can take a few steps. Statistics can be found in academic writing and in research documented within academic writing. This is your likely first step in finding quantitative information about a subject area. You can also try the approaches below using some of our specialized databases and collections.

Academic articles can be a great source of statistics. Primary research in counselling is often reported in academic articles but it can be challenging to find. Use the tips below to get started:

1. Search a subject specific database using keywords related to your topic. For guidance refer to our research guide here: How to Search Library Collections.
2. When available, use the advanced search to limit by methodology. This enables you to find statistics in articles that were gathered using specific methods of research. (NOTE: This is available in Proquest databases. For other companies, use the methodology name as a keyword to limit your results).

Statista is a database that collects statistics into user friendly reports and graphs. It's primary emphasis is for business research but it can be useful in other contexts such as counseling. Here are some examples that relate to the counseling field.

• "ADHD"

• "Counselling"

Follow the link below to access Statista and search for you topic!

The following public databases can be good sources of information. Reach out to a librarian if you need guidance finding government statistics for your area.

• OSI

 Province of Alberta statistic office. OSI collects and manages economic, population, social and geographic statistics and provides other statistical links and resources.

Overview

Data literacy is the ability to read, analyze, create, manage, and talk about data. Understanding how data functions is both important at an academic level--whether you are writing a dissertation or working on a data science project---but also at a personal level. Data regularly informs our daily decisions. The ability to read, analyze, and understand data can impact something as simple as reading a weather report or as important as who to vote for or how money for social services is allocated. Lastly, understanding data use is an important disposition to have when protecting your own privacy and information. 

Please review the "Data Literacy" guide below for more information about equitably using data and statistics in your research: