This document provides guidance on questions to ask during a reference interview to determine data needs. It outlines the "5 Ws" - who, what, when, where, and how. For each "W", it provides examples of questions to ask to understand the type of data source needed, relevant variables, time frames, geographic coverage, access and use limitations, and other details to identify appropriate data sources. The goal is to understand the research need and find data that meets the specified parameters.

1. The Data Reference Interview

2. Think-Pair-Share
What kinds of questions do you ask in
a reference interview?

3. Who?

4. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational institution, or
other organization would want to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

5. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational institution, or
other organization would want to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

6. Who?
The who cares question
What government agency, educational institution, or
other organization would want to collect this data?
Not sure? Do a literature search
Government statistical agencies
Statistical Abstract of the United States (new and
old)

11. What?

12. What?
What type source are they looking for?
Statistics? Data files? Publications?
What indicators or variables do they need?
What populations are they examining?

13. Bratton, Michael, E. Gyimah-Boadi, and Robert Mattes. Afrobarometer Round 4: The Quality of Democracy and Governance in 20 African Countries, 2008-
2009. ICPSR33701-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2012-04-13. doi:10.3886/ICPSR33701.v1

14. Bratton, Michael, E. Gyimah-Boadi, and Robert Mattes. Afrobarometer Round 4: The Quality of Democracy and Governance in 20 African Countries, 2008-
2009. ICPSR33701-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2012-04-13. doi:10.3886/ICPSR33701.v1

15. What?
What type source are they looking for?
Statistics? Data files? Publications?
What indicators or variables do they need?
What populations are they examining?

16. What?
What type source are they looking for?
Statistics? Data files? Publications?
What indicators or variables do they need?
What populations are they examining?

17. When?

18. When?
What is the time frame of the request?
Is the time frame realistic?
What is the periodicity for collection (quarterly,
annually, every decade, or infrequently)?

19. When?
What is the time frame of the request?
Is the time frame realistic?
What is the periodicity for collection (quarterly,
annually, every decade, or infrequently)?

20. When?
What is the time frame of the request?
Is the time frame realistic?
What is the periodicity for collection (quarterly,
annually, every decade, or infrequently)?

21. Where?

22. Where?
What geographic areas are realistically available?
What are the other possible geographies if the desired
area is not available?

23. Where?
What geographic areas are realistically available?
What are the other possible geographies if the desired
area is not available?

26. How?

27. How?
Is the data freely available or does it require a fee?
What are the limitations on the data’s use?
How was the data collected?

28. How?
Is the data freely available or does it require a fee?
What are the limitations on the data’s use?
How was the data collected?

29. How?
Is the data freely available or does it require a fee?
What are the limitations on the data’s use?
How was the data collected?

31. Information from Numeric Data Services and Sources
for the General Reference Librarian