Featured Research Tip:

A sure way to grab readers is by opening with a startling statistic. Statistics are also essential for persuading readers of your claims or opinions. The best place to find statistical information relating to Americans is in the Statistical Abstract of the United States. This annual compilation, available online at www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ or in a hefty volume at your library, is based largely on census data. It also includes numbers crunched by other government departments and private agencies. You can track trends in health, diet, crime rates, consumer spending, education level, and much more. Wow your readers with fun facts like the information that our per capita beer consumption and milk consumption are almost exactly the same -- 21 gallons a year -- but beer is just slightly higher.

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