Research Guides: Economics

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Economics Reference Items

General
Economic Census / U.S. Census Bureau
Location: GOV DOCS C 3.277
Through 1997.
Profiles American business every 5 years, from the national to the local level. Reports focus on establishments with paid employees (employers). Only two series also include the 17 million much smaller businesses without paid employees (nonemployers).
Later online full-text version
The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics
Location: REF HB61.N49 1987
Focuses on all aspects of modern economic thought. Includes biographies of economists past and present. The 927 scholarly contributors from around the world include 12 Nobel Prize winners in economics. Full, up-to-date bibliographies accompany the essays.
The Black Book of Economic Information: A Guide to Sources and Interpretation
Location: REF HC106.J63 1996x
Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History
Location: REF HC102.G35 1999
Survey of Social Science: Economics Series
Location: REF HB61.S94 1991
Five-volume set that contains scholarly articles on a wide range of economics topics. Articles define terms, provide overviews, discuss applications and context, and include bibliographies.
The Value of a Dollar: Prices and Incomes in the United States
Location: REF HB235.U6 V35 2004
Records the actual prices of thousands of items that consumers purchased from the Civil War to the present, along with facts about investment options and income opportunities.
Business Cycles and Depressions: An Encyclopedia
Location: REF HB3711.B936 1997
Statistics
Economic Indicators
This monthly publication provides economic information on gross domestic product, personal consumption and expenditures, exports and imports, government purchases, corporate profits, employment, interest rates, etc.
Annual Survey of Manufactures
Provides sample estimates of statistics for all manufacturing establishments with one or more paid employee. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the ASM in each of the 4 years between the economic census, which is collected for years ending in 2 and 7.
Online full-text version
Survey of Business Owners / U.S. Census Bureau
Statistics that describe the composition of U.S. businesses by gender, Hispanic or Latino origin, and race. Additional statistics include owner's age, education level, veteran status, and primary function in the business; family- and home-based businesses; types of customers and workers; and sources of financing for expansion, capital improvements, or start-up.
Online full-text version
County Business Patterns
Provides subnational economic data by industry. The series is useful for studying the economic activity of small areas; analyzing economic changes over time; and as a benchmark for statistical series, surveys, and databases between economic censuses. Businesses use the data for analyzing market potential, measuring the effectiveness of sales and advertising programs, setting sales quotas, and developing budgets.
Online full text version
Nonemployer Statistics
Summarizes the number of establishments and sales or receipts of businesses without paid employees that are subject to federal income tax. Most nonemployers are self-employed individuals operating very small unincorporated businesses, which may or may not be the owner’s principal source of income.
Available full-text online
Comparative Guide to American Suburbs
Location: REF HA214.C66 2007x
Covers more than 2400 suburban communities in the 50 largest metro areas, with rankings.
Housing Statistics of the United States
Location: REF HA202.H654x 2000
World Economic Outlook / International Monetary Fund
Presents the IMF staff's analysis and projections of economic developments at the global level, in major country groups (classified by region, stage of development, etc.), and in many individual countries. It focuses on major economic policy issues as well as on the analysis of economic developments and prospects.
Online full-text version
Biannual
Datapedia of the United States: 1790-2005: America Year by Year
Location: REF HA202.K87 2001
Contains the most significant historical statistics of the U.S. in 23 selected areas from 1776 to 2000. In some areas, such as demography, where projections are possible, the data are extended to 2010.
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Comparative Data for 297 Urban Areas
Location: REF HB235.U6 C58
Quarterly.
Industry
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
Location: REF HC106.6.S74
Quarterly
Provides data and analyses for more than 100 industries in the Standard & Poor's 1500. Covers the latest industry trends, key rations and statistics, composite industry data, and comparative company analysis.
Industry Profiles
Online full text through Business Source Premier Enhanced Business Searching Interface, a Steely Library online database subscription
Trade.gov: Manufacturing and Services
Contains some full-text data
Handbook of North American Industry: NAFTA and the Economies of Its Member Nations
Location: REF HF1746.H36 1998
U.S. Standard Industrial Classification System (SIC)
Find your industry code.
Online full-text version
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
Find your industry code. The NAICS replaces the SIC system, but many sources still use the SIC.
Online full-text version
RMA Annual Statement Studies: Financial Ratio Benchmarks
Location: REF HF5681.B2 R6
Annual
Contains financial ratio benchmarks derived from more than 190,000 statements of financial institution borrowers and prospects. These financial statements come directly to RMA from member institutions that get their data straight from the businesses they serve. Financial Ratio Benchmarks include: Nineteen classic financial statement ratios, clearly defined. Common-size balance sheet and income statement line items are arrayed by asset and sales size. More than 700 industries presented using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. Trend data available for five years. You’ll get the most up-to-date information for the current period, and you’ll quickly be able to compare it to the past four periods.
Industry Norms & Key Business Ratios / Dun & Bradstreet
Location: REF HF5681.R25 K4x
Annual
Financial information database of nearly 1 million public and private companies in over 800 lines of business to calculate financial norms and ratios. Fourteen ratios such as current assets to current debts, net profit to net sales, etc. are presented. Arranged by SIC code.
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios
Location: REF HF5681.R25 T68
Annual
Financial and operating ratios for about 160 industries, including banks and financial industries, as well as manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing industries. Statistics are based on corporate activity during the latest year for which figures from IRS tax returns are published, so they are usually about three years old; however, this is one of the few sources for many of the service industries' ratios.
Value Line Investment Survey
Location: HG4501.V26
Weekly
Contains investment newsletters, published weekly. Tracks approximately 1,700 stocks in more than 90 industries. Its Timeliness Ranking System ranks stocks on a scale of 1 to 5 for probable market performance over the next 6 to 12 months. The Ratings & Reports volume is the heart of the Value Line Survey. It publishes weekly new, full-page reports on about 130 stocks, plus analysis on about 6 of the more than 90 industries they track. Each stock report is updated on a regular rotation every 13 weeks, or 4 times a year. The Selection & Opinion volume contains 12 - 16 page publications featuring a discussion of the U.S. economy and the stock market, three model portfolios (for aggressive, conservative, and long-term investors) and in-depth analysis of selected stocks.
Online: We do not subscribe to the online version. Some information can be found at the web site, but it is not possible to access the full database online through Steely Library; we maintain only the print subscription.

The Economics Research Guide is maintained by Andrea Brooks. Suggestions and comments are welcome.