Geography plays an important role in Census Bureau activities, including supporting the American Community Survey (ACS). This module will provide an overview of how to determine the available geographies for ACS data products each year and highlight some of the major geographic areas for which you can find ACS data. We will also demonstrate how to use specific tools, such as GEOCORR, Census Geocoder, Census Reporter and other resources to help you answer various geographic-related questions. 

The ACS offers several types of products. Learn about these products to discover which is best for your needs. In this module you will learn about:

• The differences between the main ACS data products such as Data Profiles, types of data tables, and special table packages.
• How to access important information about ACS product releases and the details within them.
• How data is laid out in tables using Table Shells and locate available tables from the Table Lists.
• How to access Data Profiles from the Data Profiles tool on the ACS website.

Data seekers often have more complex questions about when to use the 1-year versus 5-year data, how to compare ACS estimates over time, or how to compare them with decennial census data. Module 4 will address those questions and introduce supporting resources such as sample ACS questionnaires, subject definitions, handbooks, and important information webpages. We also discuss how a margin of error is a tool for determining the accuracy of estimates and quickly introduce you to a variety of data tools.

American Community Survey Summary Files allow you to download and use large volumes of data which can be useful for those who need more than just one or two tables. Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) files are a downloadable subsample of ACS records from individuals or households. Generally, these access methods benefit those who would like to use these data to run their own statistical analysis. In this module, we offer important background information that will help you get started when accessing these products and locate supporting resources. 

This final module of the course will help you pull everything you've learned together by guiding viewers through a practical exercise to apply their knowledge of the American Community Survey (ACS), data tools and resources. The tasks involve geocoding an address to identify a census tract, accessing housing data for a specific time period, and calculating the confidence interval for the estimate.