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Should Sociologists make use of official statistics? Official statistics refer to data already collected by the government and its agencies. Official statistics can be used as a general research tool covering topics ranging from the economy, unemployment, health, education and crime. They enable researchers to understand the dynamics of society as well as charting trends within society. They provide the government and social policy formulators with data, which in turn influence social policy and bring to light areas in society, which need attention. In recent years the Government Statistical Service which was set up in 1941 has co-ordinated the production of government statistics, but the production of large scale statistical data goes back at least to 1801, when the first census was conducted. The question of whether sociologists should make use of official statistics is much debated and often depends on the theoretical standpoint of the sociologist. Sociologists influenced by positivism...

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