Library Tutorials

Step 1: Start on the library website. 

Go to libraries.olemiss.edu. Then look under DATABASES and click on "S".

Step 2: Find Social Explorer in the database list.

Scroll down the list of databases and click Social Explorer.

Step 3: Tables.

On the landing page, click Tables in the menu on the left.

Step 4: Choose your dataset.

The most popular datasets are the American Community Surveys and the U.S. Decennial Census, however, there are several additional dataset options.

For this example, click on the American Community Survey (5-Year Estimates).

Step 5: Click Begin Report by the dataset year you want to use.

Step 6: Now create the report.

First, choose the geographic area. Click the arrow in the box to see the drop down menu of geographies. Keep in mind that you can mix your geographic types (i.e. choose a state, Mississippi, a county, Lafayette county, and a place, Oxford).

For this example, click States, click on a state, and click the ADD button.

Once you have the geographies you want in the box, click Proceed to Tables.

Step 7: Select tables.

Choose the tables you want and click add. You can add as many tables as you like.

After you've added your tables to the box, click Show Results.

Step 8: Scroll down to see the results table.

To download and save your data click the Excel tab at the top of the screen.

Step 9: Select your options and download.

Step 10: If you need help.

Remember you can always Ask A Librarian via chat or email any of the Research and Instruction Librarians at the University of Mississippi Libraries. We're here to help!

You are welcome to share any of this information with others.  If you are a librarian or educator, you are welcome to use this guide and its contents for your own purposes.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.