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How to Find and Access Datasets for Research
Overview
Description: This article provides guidance on locating and accessing datasets for research. It covers different types of datasets, including open data repositories, government sources, and library databases. Users will learn how to search for datasets by topic, organization, or file type and how to access datasets through academic databases such as ACM Digital Library and IEEE Xplore.
Estimated Time of Completion (ETOC): 10–15 minutes.
Datasets
A dataset (data set) is a collection of raw statistics and information. Datasets produced by government agencies or non-profit organizations can usually be downloaded free of charge. However, datasets developed by for-profit companies may be available for a fee.
You can locate datasets by identifying the agency or organization that focuses on a specific research area of interest. For example, if you are interested in learning about public opinion on social issues, Pew Research Center would be a good place to look. For data about population, the U.S. government’s Population Estimates Program from American Factfinder is an authoritative source.
Open Data Resources
Site | Structure | Source Type | Topics |
Repository | Public | U.S. Environment, Climate, Health, Government | |
Repository | Public | Multidisciplinary | |
Website | Public | Education, Educational Institutions | |
Repository | Public | Health, Biology | |
Repository | Public | Computer Science, Tech | |
Search Engine | Public | Multidisciplinary | |
Repository | Public | Multidisciplinary, Social Sciences | |
Repository | Public | Health, Healthcare | |
Repository | 3rd Party | Multidisciplinary, Social Sciences | |
Repository | Public | Multidisciplinary | |
Search Engine | Public | Multidisciplinary | |
National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot (NAIRR Pilot) | Repository | Public | AI, Computer Science, Multidisciplinary |
Repository | Public | Education, Educational Institutions | |
Website | Public | Social Science Demographics, Trends | |
Repository | Mixed | Financial, Business | |
Registry of Repositories | Public | n/a | |
Search Engine | Mixed | Multidisciplinary | |
Repository | Public | Multidisciplinary |
Datasets by State or Country
To find open data for a particular U.S. state or country, use a search engine and search keywords: open data [name of state or country]
- Search for your topic keywords followed by the word ‘dataset.’ Example: cybersecurity threats dataset
- Search for your topic keywords and file type:xls, which will locate Excel documents that might contain raw data. Example: “artificial intelligence” filetype:xls [Note: There’s no space between filetype and xls]
Library Databases
ACM Digital Library
Datasets from a research article may be included as Zip files or Txt files.
- Access the ACM Digital Library database from the Virtual Library Database Menu page.
- Use the search box to locate relevant research articles on your topic. Include the word ‘dataset’ with your keywords. Example: llm dataset
- Expand Media Formats on the search results page under Publications
- Select Archive/Zip or Txt.
- Select an article from your results page to review the Zip or Txt file under “Supplementary Material.”
IEEE Xplore
Use the following steps to locate a dataset used in a research article within the IEEE Xplore Digital Library database.
- Access the IEEE Xplore Digital Library database from the Virtual Library Database Menu page.
- Use the search box to locate relevant research articles on your topic. Include the word ‘dataset’ with your keywords. Example: llm dataset.
- Expand Supplemental Items on the search results page.
- Select Datasets and select Apply.
- Your filtered results have an icon that indicates Dataset Available. Select an article title to view the dataset.
- On the article’s page, locate the “Code & Datasets” section.
- Select the link to view the dataset in the data repository.
