'Data' is defined here in its broadest sense: research information that is either accessed or collected, and then used to inform analysis. This includes audio-visual, textual and – in most cases – statistical data resources.
When considering data, it can be useful to think about not only different sources and formats, but also the ways in which data is gathered and provided and what this means for the research process.
Students new to using data may find the Data and Statistics for the Social Sciences guide particularly helpful in assessing all this. The resources in the guide may overlap with those listed on Databases A-Z or SOLO and subject guides. You should also consult those resource discovery tools in the course of your research.