Web Exercises

1. The World Bank offers numerous resources that are useful for comparative research. Visit the World Bank website at www.worldbank.org. Scroll down to the “Data” heading and then click on the “Browse Data by Country” link and then select one country. Now, write a brief summary of changes reported in the indicators ranging from CO2 emissions to total population. Then, compare these data with those for another country, and summarize the differences and similarities you have identified between the countries during recent decades.

2. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website provides extensive economic indicator data for regions, states, and cities. Go to the BLS web page that offers statistics by location: http://stats.bls.gov/eag. Now, click on a region and explore the types of data that are available. Write out a description of the steps you would have to take to conduct a comparative analysis using the data available from the BLS website.

3. The U.S. Census Bureau’s home page can be found at www.census.gov. This site contains extensive reporting of census data, including population data, economic indicators, and other information acquired through the U.S. Census. This website allows you to collect information on numerous subjects and topics. This information can then be used to make comparisons between different states or cities. Comparative analysis is facilitated by the “QuickFacts” option on the home page. Where it asks you to “Select a state to begin,” choose your own state and copy down the percentages of the population by age, race and Hispanic origin, foreign born, education, and persons in poverty, as well as median household income. Repeat this process for one or two other states. Write a one-page report summarizing your findings about similarities and differences between these states and propose an explanation for at least some of the differences.