This tutorial provides an answer to questions often raised by Eurostat author/production units on the distinction between dedicated sections and Statistics Explained as dissemination channel:
- what is the difference between a dedicated section on the Eurostat portal and Statistics Explained as dissemination channels?
- what information should be disseminated via a dedicated section and which via Statistics Explained?
- how should they be interlinked?
The answers, elaborated below, can be summarised as follows:
- a dedicated section is a mini-portal for a specific statistical topic or policy area, a set of links to content stored elsewhere without content of its own except brief introductions;
- Statistics Explained is an online publication platform for published content (which may, but need not be also available as paper/PDF): statistical analysis and background information.
Dedicated section
The defining characteristics of a dedicated section are:
- no own content except brief and general introductions where and if needed;
- portal = set of links to content elsewhere:
- data in database, 'most popular' or main tables;
- metadata (esms files, methodological manuals, ...);
- the most relevant part of Statistics Explained (not to its Main page!);
- downloadable PDF publications;
- a selection of highly relevant external links (other European Commission sites, OECD, UN, ECB, WHO, ...).
- specific and flexible:
- a dedicated section can be created or dissolved according to policy and users' needs;
- not necessarily corresponding to stable hierarchy of statistical (sub)themes, although in practice there is a degree of overlap;
- as a result, the list of dedicated sections changes fairly often, and has a more ad hoc and temporary character than statistical themes.
Statistics Explained
The relevant characteristics of Statistics Explained:
- publication platform for all Eurostat's published content (to a large extent replacing paper-only publications of the past):
- statistical articles presenting description and analysis of data;
- background articles on methods, nomenclatures, context, ...;
- online publications (= briefly introduced table of contents linking to individual articles);
- glossary items.
- structured in statistical themes:
- user-oriented nomenclature of dissemination output (to be distinguished from Eurostat's producer-oriented organogram and subdivision in units and teams!);
- in principle stable, at a fairly general level (two-level hierarchy, for instance 'Economy and finance' subdivided in 'Balance of payments', 'Consumer prices', 'Government statistics', 'National accounts and GDP', ...;
- links to further information in Statistics Explained (See also), Eurostat portal (database, main tables, dedicated section, ...) or other websites (including other Commission websites): portal but only secondary function
Practical guidelines
- very specific and ad hoc list of dedicated section, can and does change fairly frequently versus
Cross-linking
[Category:Features]]