How to Search The 1990 Census of Population and Housing CD ROMs The 1990 Decennial Census of Population and Housing is the first to use CD ROM technology to release statistics. By using that technology, researchers gain access to data once available only on computer magnetic tape. In addition, the statistics provide more information for more geographic areas than is feasible in the traditional printed reports. Census data on CD ROMs are available through various Summary Tape File (STF) series. Each series differs by the information contained and by available geographic levels. Consult the 1990 Census CD-ROMs at ASU guide to see which best fits your needs. Note, STF 1 contains information collected from the entire population while STF 3 is based on a sample. Use STF 1 when there is a choice. The Technical Documentation for each of the STF series contains definitions of Census terms and tables showing the menu structure of the information. Refer to those sources to find what data is available. The Government Documents Department has tract maps for some areas. Ask the reference staff for assistance. How to Search The Census of Population and Housing is searched through a series of windows leading to the data. Highlight the desired choice using the up and down arrow keys and select it by pressing . To backtrack, press the Escape key, . A menu of options is available on the bottom line of each screen. 1. Using the up and down arrow keys, select a state and press 2. Select a geographic summary level the same way * See the end of this section for an overview of geographic definitions. For a detailed discussion see Appendix A of the Technical Documentation. * Some of the entries may be hidden below the screen. Use either the down arrow key, or the Page Down key to see all the entries. * When searching for data for a city, e.g., Tempe, Mesa, etc., select "Place (Totals)." * When searching for data for Census Tracts select "Census tract/block numbering areas (Totals)." 3. If necessary, select smaller geographic levels as the windows appear. * Typing the first letter of a word moves the cursor to that letter. * For Census Tracts, press Function Key #1 (F1), then enter your tract number. Press if the number is less than 7 characters. * STF 3B allows retrieval by a known Zip Code or from a list of either place names or Zip Codes. For a single area, type the Zip Code at the prompt. For the lists, press at the prompt and type the first number for the Zip Code list, or the first letter for place names. 4. Select the desired data using the arrow keys * The General Profile is a 2 or 3 page overview of the data. More detailed information appears in the tables listed after the Profile. * Make sure to check the "Universe" which appears on the top of the selection list. The Universe is the table's population segment. * On STF 3A and 3B, press K for a Keyword search to narrow the search to information on only that subject. * The Census Bureau does not classify "Hispanic origin" as a racial characteristic. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Thus, you will double count Hispanics if you add that number to the other races for an area. 5. Press B for Browse to see the same number for other areas. * If present, press G for the Glossary which includes the Census definitions. The definitions are also in Appendix B of the Technical Documentation. * On STF 1C, pressing G for GeoComp retrieves data for other geographic summary levels. Printing Census Data When the data is displayed: 1. Type P (Print) Complete Table This option will print out a complete copy of the table as it appears on the screen. Using the arrow keys: 1. Select Complete table for this area 2. Select Print table to printer 3. If directed, press any key to start the printer 4. If directed, press any key to return to the table Single Items Similar to the browse feature, this option will print a single data item. The areas downloaded depend on the geographic unit selected, i.e., counties to counties, tracts to tracts. 1. Select Single item for several areas 2. Select the item you want using the arrow keys and press 3. Select Print item to printer 4. If directed, press any key to start the printer 5. If directed, press any key to start the printer Downloading Census Data to your Floppy Disk For a general overview on downloading from Governmental CD ROMs, see the section in this manual on downloading. For the General Profiles, you can only download the entire table. The "Select a characteristic" and "Copyfile" functions are not available. Text files can be loaded into a word processing program such as Word Perfect. However, you may have to widen the margins before uploading the data. The program will not warn you if the file name already exists on your floppy, but, it will write over that information. Make sure you give each file a different name. Also, make sure to specify the drive letter where you inserted the floppy. Example: b:data1 b:data2 etc. When the data is displayed: Text Files 1. Type P (Print) Complete Table This option will place a complete copy of the table as it appears on the screen onto your floppy disk. 1. Select Complete table for this area 2. Select Print table to file 3. Type the name of the file * The program automatically supplies the DOS extension PRN. * STF 1A does not prompt when copying is finished, although the status line at the bottom changes from "Printing..." back to the selection menu. Single Items Similar to the browse feature, this option will download a single data item to your disk. The areas downloaded depend on the geographic unit you choose, i.e., counties to counties, tracts to tracts. 1. Select Single item for several areas 2. Select the item you want using the arrow keys 3. Select Print item to file 4. Type the name of the file * The program automatically supplies the DOS extension PRN. Copyfile The Copyfile option downloads all of the information on the table for similar geographic units. However, they will appear by their Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) number, not their name. The Census Bureau has assigned FIPS codes to a variety of geographic entities ranging from American Indian areas, to places, counties, and states. The codes are listed in Guideline: codes for named populated places, primary county divisions, and other locational entities of the United States and outlying areas (C 13.52:55-2/guide, Ref. Table 5A). Use this source to translate the code to the place name. 1. Select C (Copyfile) * For STF 3B choose whether you want to download the data for all Zip Codes in the selected place or codes with the same first three digits. Note - those digits can refer to a Post Office sectional distribution center that can serve more than one place. 2. Select Format * See format options below. 3. Name file 4. At the "Create technical documentation" prompt select Yes * The technical documentation is the guide to what information was copied in each column. * The program will supply the DOS extension DOC. 5. Press any key to continue Format Options ASCII (flat/SDF): This option downloads the contents as an ASCII columnar file with each of data in separate columns. ASCII (delimited): This option downloads the information as an ASCII comma delimited file with commas between each piece of data. dBASE: This option downloads the data in dBASE format. It can be read directly into either that program, or any that recognize dBASE format. WK1 (spreadsheet): This option downloads the data in Lotus 2.x and higher format. It can be read directly into either that program, or any that recognize the Lotus format. Note - this option is not available for all Census discs. Geographic Definitions See the maps on the following page. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA): Before the 1990 Census these were known as Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA). They have a large population nucleus and nearby communities which have a high degree of economic and social integration. MSAs include the city, its urbanized area, and the remainder of the county or counties in which it is located. Urbanized Area (UA): A central city (or cities) and surrounding closely settled, contiguous territory that has a population of a least 50,000. Central City: The largest city, or one of the largest cities, in an Metropolitan Statistical Area or Urbanized Area. Place: These can either be incorporated areas, i.e., Tempe, Tucson, or an unincorporated "Census Designated Place." Census Designated Place (CDP): A densely settled concentration of population that is identifiable by name, but is not legally incorporated. Minor Civil Division (MCD): Primary political or administrative divisions of a nonmetropolitan county such as election districts, towns, or townships. Census County Division (CCD): Nonmetropolitan county subdivisions for states without legally established Minor Civil Divisions. Census Tract: A relatively small division of a Metropolitan Statistical Area. Tracts are designed to be relatively homogeneous for population characteristics, economic status, etc, and average 4,000 inhabitants. Block Numbering Area (BNA): Serving the same function as Census Tracts, BNAs are statistical subdivisions of nonmetropolitan counties where tracts are not established. Block Group: A combination of Census blocks comprising a subdivision of a census tract. Block: An area bounded on all sides by features such as streets or nonvisible boundaries such as city limits. A block is the smallest geographic tabulation area in the census. Kenneth Furuta, Arizona State University rev. Sept. 1993