Frequently Asked Questions


 

What is the HSUS Millennial Edition?

FAQ Topics

General Questions

Data Organization Questions

Essay Questions

Table Questions

Custom Table Questions

Table Graphing

Downloading Tables Questions

Access Questions

Search Questions

Favorites Features Questions

Who are the publishers of the HSUS Millennial edition?

How do I get usage statistics?

How are data organized in this HSUS edition?

What is a series?

What is a series identifier?

Are date ranges inclusive?

What is included in an essay?

How can I view the contents of an essay or table?

What is RIS?

How do I view a footnote in the essays?

How are data represented in a table?

What is a series?

What is a table identifier?

What is table documentation?

Are footnotes the same as table documentation?

How are footnotes ordered?

How do I view and download a table group?

Are date ranges inclusive?

How can I see a larger 'view' of a table?

What is 'Jump By' on the table?

What is 'Jump To' on the table?

What is Next Cell With Value?

How can I view two series that are on different table 'screens' next to each other?

Can I email a table or essay to a friend or colleague?

How long will my colleague have access to a table or essay I email?

Can I download a table?

If I choose to download a table and table documentation, what file formats are supported?

What is CSV or comma-separated values?

What is a citation file in the table downloads?

What is a DOI?

What is a custom table?

How do I create a custom table?

Why do I get an error when I try to create a custom table?

What is the option to graph mini-graphs?

Is it legal for me to reuse graphs and data from Historical Statistics?

What is the interval of a graph?

What is the image format used in graph downloads, the PNG format?

I can't open the graph I downloaded. What do I do?

The text in the legend and axes on my graph is cut off. What should I do?

I can't see the graph I just created. What should I do?

How do I download a table?

How can I download more than one table at a time?

What statistical packages can I use with tables I download from Historical Statistics?

What download format do I use with statistics packages such as SPSS and SAS?

What does Zs in Download mean in the downloading options?

Why won't my table work with my statistical package?

How do I request trial access?


How do I purchase Historical Statistics?

What is a Simple search?

What is the difference between Index Term Match and Other Matches by Relevance?

What types of search-query language can I use with the Advanced and Simple Searches?

Can I search for content by contributor name?

What is the difference between saved data and saved criteria?

I'm still not finding the results I would expect from my search terms. What should I do?

What can I do with the Saved Data feature?

What is Saved Criteria?

 

 

General Questions


What is the HSUS Millennial Edition?

HSUS, the acronym for Historical Statistics of the United States, is the standard source for quantitative indicators of American history. The Millennial edition is a revised, updated, and expanded version of previous three editions - with five Parts instead of two, more than twice as many pages of data and documentation, and thrice the data series as before (37,339 in all).

The edition is unique in organization and content from previous versions. Chapters are preceded by essays that introduce the quantitative history of their subject, provide a guide to the sources, and offer expert advice on the reliability of the data and the limits that might be placed on their interpretation. more...

Who are the publishers of the HSUS Millennial edition?

Unlike previous editions that were published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Cambridge University Press publishes the Millennial Edition with permission from the Census Bureau. More than 80 scholars and 70 funding sources have contributed to this giant collaborative effort.

How do I get usage statistics?

Usage statistics for your organization can be requested through your local sales rep, or your local sales team. For the Americas, please contact online@cambridge.org, otherwise please contact library.sales@cambridge.org.

   

Data Organization Questions


How are data organized in this HSUS edition?

HSUS data are arranged by broad subjects in five Parts, each published in a separate volume and each Part containing several chapters. Tables in most chapters are further organized into subsections.

What is a series?

Data, presented in a series, to provide annual or decennial information spanning at least 20 years. Some exceptions exist for special topics (the colonial period and the Confederate States of America), for newly developed series providing the only available data for an important subject field, and for short series that serve as important extensions of longer series.

What is a series identifier?

A series identifier is a unique alphanumeric pairing, (e.g., Aa1), which is assigned to each series of a table. The two letters in the identifier indicate the chapter in which the series resides. Within a chapter, series are numbered sequentially. Sets of contiguous series are identified by means of a series range (for example, series Da42-47). Source citations and table documentation are linked to the data series by means of such identifiers.

Are date ranges inclusive?

Yes, date ranges are always inclusive. For instance, the range 1966-1988 includes the years 1966 and 1988.

 

Essay Questions


What is included in an essay?

The essays provide a guide to the data, sources, and historical trends emphasized in the literature and introduce each chapter in a Part. They contain a list of references that may be consulted for more detailed information about a given subject.

How can I view the contents of an essay or table?

You need to have access to the HSUS site in order to view the contents of an essay or table.

To view contents:

From the Contents tab

From the Indexes tab

From the Contributor Index link

  1. Click the Contents tab.

  2. Click a Part title. Associated chapters with essays and table groups are displayed.

  3. Click the title of desired essay or table.

  1. Click the Indexes tab.

  2. Enter search text in the Search Index field or select a letter or letter pair to display the list of corresponding contents.

  3. Click the title of desired essay or table.

  1. Click the Indexes tab.

  2. Click the Contributor Index link.

  3. Enter the contributor's name in the search index field or select a letter (first character of the last name) to display the list of corresponding contents.

  4. Click the title of the desired essay or table.

For more details, see About Browsing for Essays and About Browsing for Tables in the Feature Guide.

What is RIS?

RIS format is a widely used syntax for citation files. With RIS, the bibliographic information in the citation is tagged with a certain set of tags (such as Y1 for the primary publication date).

How do I view a footnote in the essays?

Click the footnote number. You will be directed to the bottom of the contents area where the footnote text appears.

 

Table Questions


How are data represented in a table?

Data are represented in series and span a timeline of years. The series are represented in columns, the years in rows. Row headers are also known as stubs.

What is a series?

A series is a group of typically numerical data or statistics over time, typically years. A series in Historical Statistics is most commonly a column in a table if the table's left-most column contains years.

Some tables contain series that are rows, but in the majority of tables, a series is a column of the table.

For example, the data in column Aa1 below is a series:

 

Year

Number of people

Series ID Aa1

1990

200

1991

400

1992

600

1993

800

 

What is a table identifier?

A table identifier is an alphanumeric pairing, (e.g., Ab1-10), which is used to identify a table. This is represented by the range of series it contains. For example, the first two tables in the chapter on vital statistics contain 10 to 20 series; they are identified as Table Ab1-10 and Table Ab11-30. Similarly, a group of contiguous tables is identified by a series range. Using the same example, these two tables could be referred to jointly as Tables Ab1-30.

What is table documentation?

Table documentation is information accompanying a table and includes:

The inclusion of documentation with the tables provides visibility, convenience, and ease of use. Tables may be fully self-documenting, without cross-references to other Parts of the work; however, when cross-references to other tables or essays occur, you are encouraged to follow the references.

See Viewing Table Documentation

Are footnotes the same as table documentation?

No, although the type of information conveyed in footnotes is similar to that in table documentation. The specific purpose of footnotes is to draw attention to issues of particular importance or to comment on matters related to specific columns, rows, or cells in a table.

How are footnotes ordered?

Footnotes are ordered sequentially as follows:

  1. Footnotes for the entire table.

  2. Footnotes for a specific series, arranged from left to right across the table header.

  3. Footnotes attached to the table stub and data area, first arranged top to bottom, and then left to right.

How do I view and download a table group?

Use the Contents tab to expand the Parts and chapters. Click the name of a table group within any chapter to see the list of tables in that group. Click the Download Table Group button at the top right corner of the right pane. You will be prompted to save a zip file, which contains all the tables and their documentation.

How can I see a larger 'view' of a table?

To see a wider version of the table, click on the link 'Expand Table to Full Page Width', which you will see near the top of a table when you are viewing it.

What is 'Jump By' on the table?

Many tables in Historical Statistics are very wide, so they have been divided up into several 'pages'. Using Jump By enables you to navigate across a table without viewing each screen/page of the table.

What is 'Jump To' on the table?

The Jump To feature allows you to select a series ID from a drop down menu and go directly to that series.

What is Next Cell With Value?

Some tables contain many columns and/or rows of blank cells, where data weren't available and/or collected for all the years presented in the table. The 'Next Cell With Value' feature links you directly to the next table cell in a row that is not blank.

How can I view two series that are on different table 'screens' next to each other?

To manipulate the online 'view' of your table, use the View Selected Series option under the Actions menu. Select the series or rows you want to view and click Update Table View.

Can I email a table or essay to a friend or colleague?

Yes. To email a table or essay, you need to be a registered user with access to the HSUS site. To email a table or essay, see Emailing Tables or Emailing Essays in the Feature Guide.

How long will my colleague have access to a table or essay I email?

If you have a full subscription, your colleague will have access to the table or essay for 10 days.

Can I download a table?

Yes, you can download tables in comma-separated value (CSV), Excel, and PDF formats.

Open a table and either click the appropriate link at the upper right corner of the table, or click on Download Table in the Actions menu at the left of the table.

If I choose to download a table and table documentation, what file formats are supported?

Tables can be downloaded in Excel or CSV format; table citations in RIS, text, or CSV format; table groups as zipped files.

What is CSV or comma-separated values?

CSV means 'comma-separated value'; this format is commonly used for importing data files into statistical software.

Each field or value in the exported table will be separated by a comma. See below for an example of a comma-delimited file format:

Year, Number of Cities, Number of States, Number of Highways

1990, 3, 4, 5

1991, 5, 6, 7

1992, 10, 20, 30

What is a citation file in the table downloads?

Many researchers and students use reference or citation management programs. These programs serve as databases in which people record useful or pertinent citations of material they want to refer back to, research further, or include or cite in their own research.

The citation typically includes bibliographic information about a book, article, or in the case of Historical Statistics, a table or essay, such as the publisher, year, title of the work, URL, etc.

When you download a citation from Historical Statistics, you are simply saving bibliographic data into a text file either directly onto your computer, or directly inside one of the above-mentioned reference managing databases.
 

What is a DOI?

A DOI is a 'Digital Object Identifier', a number typically used online by the academic publishing community to uniquely identify a particular piece of content. The DOI is used widely in academic journals publishing to identify articles, but a DOI can be assigned to any level of content (a paragraph, a chapter, or an entire product).

For more information on DOIs please consult http://www.doi.org/.

The organization CrossRef (http://www.crossref.org/) is a publisher-directed entity that promotes DOI usage.

 

Custom Table Questions


What is a custom table?

A custom table is a convenient option that allows you to merge columns from different tables into one table. Such tables may be viewed, printed, downloaded, or emailed.

How do I create a custom table?

See Creating Custom Tables in the Feature Guide.

Why do I get an error when I try to create a custom table?

Each table used to create a Custom Table must have the same number of leftmost columns (stubs). For example, a table with one list of Years down the left-hand side cannot be combined with a table that has Start Year and End Year in two columns down the left-hand side. A table with text in its leftmost column (such as Names of Treaties) cannot be combined with series that are listed by Year in its leftmost column.

All other tables can be combined to create a custom table.

You will see a warning message if you combine tables with differing stub labels (such as Year and Age), but you will be able to combine those series in a Custom Table.

The first table (think of it as a ‘base table’) created for a Custom Table defines the label used for the stub of the table.

The tables can have differing numbers of rows still be combined. For example, I can create a custom table with 10 years (rows) listed, and then add to it data from another table that contains 50 years (rows), or vice-versa.

The values listed down the leftmost column can differ between the tables (one can have serial years, another can list years in 10-year intervals).

 

Table Graphing


What is the option to graph mini-graphs?

Graphing mini-graphs of a table produces one graph image for each set of series data, rather than one graph that plots multiple series values on the same graph.

If you choose to graph mini-graphs you will see many graph images, each containing a graph for one series.

Is it legal to for me to reuse graphs and data from Historical Statistics?

Authorized users may (under the terms of an Institutional or Consortium Site License) electronically save and/or print out individual graphs and tables, for personal use only. Such materials may not be further copied, distributed, or circulated in any way other than as may be allowed for in the relevant Site License (e.g. for course packs within the same institution).

What is the interval of a graph?

For optimal graphing, we recommend that you not adjust this setting, but more advanced users can change the interval without it adversely affecting their graph.

This setting defines the interval at which series labels will appear on your graph. For example, if you selected an interval of 10 for series values graphed, the axis along which the series are plotted would display labels identifying the series values (10, 20, 30, 40, etc.).

What is the image format used in graph downloads, the PNG format?

It is a universal format that is recognized by the World Wide Web consortium, and supported by modern web browsers. PNG is an extensible file format for the loss less, portable, well-compressed storage of raster images. PNG provides a patent-free replacement for GIF and can also replace many common uses of TIFF. Indexed-color, grayscale, and true color images are supported, plus an optional alpha channel for transparency. Sample depths range from 1 to 16 bits per component (up to 48bit images for RGB, or 64bit for RGBA).

I can't open the graph I downloaded. What do I do?

When you download a graph, it will be saved as a compressed (zipped) folder. Extract the files from the folder as you normally would.

The text in the legend and axes on my graph is cut off. What should I do?

Double-check that you've edited the Series Labels while creating your graph. On the second page of graphing options, on which you click the Graph Data button, you can use the left pane to update the legend text (i.e., your series titles typically) and the right pane to update your axis labels for X- and Y-axis.

Make your edits in this page, and then click Graph Data to view the graph again.

I can't see the graph I just created. What should I do?

Graphs open in a new window: make sure that your browser doesn't have pop-up blocking turned on, or that http://hsus.cambridge.org is added to the list of "Allowed Sites."

If you're using Internet Explorer or Safari on a Mac, you may find that the pop-up graphing window sometimes doesn't refresh: you see a previous graph you'd created, not the graph you just tried to create. If this happens, you need to update your browser's caching preferences. In IE: from the Explorer menu at the top left of the screen, select Preferences. Then select Advanced, and in the Cache section, make sure that the "Update pages" option is set to "Always." In Safari: clear your cache, then refresh the webpage.

 

Downloading Tables Questions


How can I download more than one table at a time?

You can download an entire group of tables on the Table Group table of contents page. Navigate to the table of contents page that lists all the tables in a group.

Click the button Download Tables in Excel.

This will download a zipped, or compressed, file of all the tables in that group. The Excel files in this download will be formatted for use with statistical software (that is, the series titles in the table will fit inside one cell, and the data types of the numbers in the table will be set as number, not text).

What statistical packages can I use with tables I download from Historical Statistics?

Tables are available for download in CSV (comma-separated value) and Excel formats, which work with most major statistical packages.

Historical Statistics tables were tested to work with the latest versions of SPSS, SAS, STATA, and E-Views (as of January 2006).

What download format do I use with statistics packages such as SPSS and SAS?

To download tables for use with statistical software such as SPSS, SAS, STATA, and EViews, tick this option on the tables Download screen:

I will be importing this table into a statistical software package....

For SPSS, we recommend that you download Excel files.

For STATA, we recommend that you download CSV files, unless you have StatTransfer.

Excel and CSV tables formatted for importing to statistical software have the following features:

  1. Table headings are not layered as with regular downloads, but in order for each series to become its own variable in statistical software, each table column titles (series titles) is contained in 1 cell of the Excel or CSV file.

  2. All cells with ---- online are converted to blank cells.

  3. All Z values are replaced with their alternative, unrounded values.

  4. If a Z value online has no alternative, unrounded value, the cell will be blank in the download.

  5. Table titles and footnotes are not included.

CSV:

Table data cells' values are formatted as numbers, without commas.

Excel:

  1. Excel table cells are in General format

  2. The first row of series titles/column headings is formatted as Text so that it can become a variable label within your statistical software

What does Zs in Download mean in the downloading options?

Some tables include (Z)s, which are referred to in the User Guide as Zero values. A (Z) is used when the underlying data are so small that it rounds to zero when displayed at the level of decimal precision chosen for the series.

If you select the option to download tables with Zs, your table will contain (Z)s in the table cells.

There are 2 types of (Z) values: those that are not known, and those that are not shown online but can appear in downloads.

(Z) Cells with values not known refer to a footnote, which lists the value.

The other type of (Z) values are not shown online, but their underlying numbers available in the downloads of the tables.

If you want to have all the actual numbers in your download, select the option For Statistical Manipulation. We recommend that you select this option if you intend to import the file into other programs for analysis.

 Why won't my table work with my statistical package? The variables of the table require manual editing in my software package.

Please double-check that when you downloaded a table you selected the option that you wanted to use the table in statistical software. We have provided two download formats for tables, depending on if the table is to be used with statistical software.

Statistical software importing works much better if table column headings are not created with merged cells in Excel. Our download for uploading into statistical software formats table column headings (series titles) in such a way that each column heading becomes a variable when the table is uploaded to statistical software,

If you continue to have trouble with tables in your statistical package, please refer to the Contact Us page to email for technical support.

 What is a 'Citation file' in the table downloads?

Many researchers and students use reference or citation management programs. These programs serve as databases that hold pertinent citations of material researchers want to refer back to, research further, or include or cite in their own work.

A citation file is a text file that includes bibliographic information about a book, article, or in the case of Historical Statistics, a table or essay, such as the publisher, year, title of the work, URL, etc.

When you download a citation from Historical Statistics, you are saving bibliographic data into a text file either directly onto your computer, or directly inside one of the above-mentioned reference managing databases.

 

Access Questions


How do I request trial access?

Institutional customers can request trials.

For North America, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America, email online@cambridge.org.

For United Kingdom, Europe and Rest of the World, email library.sales@cambridge.org.

How do I purchase Historical Statistics?

To purchase Historical Statistics, please contact the appropriate regional office.

In the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and Mexico, email online@cambridge.org.

In the U.K. and elsewhere, email library.sales@cambridge.org.

 

Search Questions


What is a Simple Search?

This is the basic search feature enabled when the Search tab is highlighted. The simple search is executed only with the help of search terms entered in the Search field and no specific search criteria is captured. If the user clicks Search button, the system will execute a simple search. The left pane displays the Revise search view and the right pane will display the search results.

What's the difference between Index Term Matches and Other Matches by Relevance?

Index Term Matches are tables or essays that are referenced in the printed index under the heading of the term you searched for. Because human logic was used to create the index, to map certain vocabulary used in Historical Statistics with more standard index entries, these terms are considered more relevant than search engine matches.

Other Matches By Relevance appear after Index Term Matches; these results can be exact matches to your search term, or they can be synonyms.

What types of search-query language can I use with the Advanced and Simple Searches?

Note: You may use the following keyboard characters in search terms: plus (+), minus (-), pipe (|), semicolon (;), apostrophe ('), comma (,) and full stop (.).

For information about ranking of search results, see Search Results.

Can I search for content by contributor name?

Yes. Click Search, select Advanced Search, and enter the contributor's name. All associated essays and tables are displayed. Registration is required to be able to save the search results and browse content. See the Feature Guide for more details.

What is the difference between saved data and saved criteria?

Saved data is a bookmarking option where table or essay contents can be saved for easy access in the future. Saved criteria is a similar bookmarking option where search parameters, not content, can be saved for later use. For procedures, see Saving Essays, Saving Tables or Saving Search Criteria.

I'm still not finding the results I would expect from my search terms. What should I do?

First, try to reduce the number of parameters in your search. This will give you a larger set of results to browse through.

Also limit your use of the above query language items to broaden your search.

There is a possibility that the item you are trying to find is in Historical Statistics, but the language used in the title the table and/or essay is different from your search term. For example, you could do a search for welfare. There could be a table with poor relief in its title that could be of interest. Typically the index term matches cover this problem, but an option is to try to think of different terms for your search.

If you cannot find a table from the printed book in the online version, and you've tried searching by page number, contributor, and series ID, please email technical support immediately to report this problem.

 

Favorites Features Questions


What can I do with the Saved Data feature?

With the Saved Data feature, you can bookmark tables or essays and create groups to organize your saved data. You must be a registered user with access to the Historical Statistics of the United States Millennial Edition Online to create a Saved Data list.

What is Saved Criteria?

The Saved Criteria link, which appears on the left when you are searching for the essays and tables, allows you to retrieve the saved criteria that you have used previously for searching. This feature allows you to save search parameters in order to obtain a particular set of results by re-running a search, and also lets you access and reorganize those saved search parameters later.