Sources of Information

U.S. Government

The U.S. government is an extremely valuable source of high-quality research materials for a wide variety of subjects you might be researching. The government is constantly collecting data and preparing reports which, because of the care it takes in preparing its publications, often become widely cited by scholars and policy makers. Not everything produced by the government is put online, when it is it is always available for free.

A few examples:

Statistical Abstract of the United States

The Government Accounting Office regularly produces reports that analyze and critique government policy.
The Congressional Research Service produces high-quality reports on a wide variety of topics. You can search for these reports at the OpenCRS website.
The Statistical Abstract of the United States is an incredibly useful source of statistical data on the U.S.
More statistical information is available from FedStats.

If you find a site that is claiming to give you official statistical data about the U.S., don't take their word for it. Go to a government-provided source and make sure you've got the most accurate and current information.