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Demographics and Statistics
- University Stats & FactsFrom UVA Institutional Research and Analytics, this site provides Tableau visualizations for student data in the areas of admissions, degrees awarded, enrollment, graduation and retention rates, GPA, and tuition and fees.
- UVA Diversity DashboardVisualizations and statistics of diversity of students, staff, and faculty at the university from 2009 to 2023
- Data USA: University of Virginia - Main CampusData USA describes itself as "the most comprehensive website and visualization engine of public US Government data. Data USA tells millions of stories about America. Through advanced data analytics and visualization, it tells stories about: places in America—towns, cities and states. Data USA creates visualizations and interpretations of US government data.
- Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowInteractive Maps and Reports provide easy access to demographic information about the United States. Data comes from the Census beginning in 1790 and from the Religious Congregations and Membership Study beginning in 1980. Also has crime and health data.
Looking for research resources about Charlottesville? See the ENWR 1510 Charlottesville Research Resources companion guide.
Preparing for Research
In preparation for your research project, you will need to think about some possible questions to start your research about the University of Virginia. You will also want to spend some time thinking about how you will conduct your research.
- Fine-tune your searches.
Think broadly when brainstorming search terms. What synonyms or related terms could stand in for your key search terms?
You can combine search terms using AND ("University of Virginia" AND race) and OR: (park OR "recreation area") AND ("University of Virginia" OR UVA)
In many databases, the asterisk (*) is a truncation or "wildcard" symbol that will match all possible endings for a word stem. For example, enslave* will match with enslave, enslaved, enslavement, etc.
Most databases have filters or facets that allow you to narrow your results by subject, date range, etc. Limit your searches to help you find the sources you need.
- Think about where you might find the type of information you are seeking.
Will you find the research you need in an book? An article? A newspaper? A letter, manuscript, or university records in Special Collections or UVA Archives? An interview? Cast a wide net when looking for the types of resources that could help answer your research questions or support an argument you are thinking of making.
- Know the difference between academic and non-academic sources, and when it's appropriate to use them.
Most databases allow you to limit results to academic/scholarly/peer-reviewed sources. Be mindful of your assignment and what you're being asked to provide. Need a refresher? Watch the short video Peer Review in 3 Minutes.
- When you find a good source, use it to find other good sources.
Use the subject terms and keywords associated with an item to find other items on similar topics. Scholarly books and articles will have works cited, bibliographies, or footnotes you can mine for additional resources.
Need help? Contact Sherri or Ask a librarian.
UVA Special Collections Digital Exhibits
Look through current and past exhibits of materials from UVA's Special Collections on their Exhibitions Page. Not all exhibits have/had a digital component, but some do - click on More Info to see if a digital exhibit is available. Below are a few examples of past exhibits that might be of interest.
- All the Hoos in Hooville: 175 Years of Life at the University of VirginiaA digital exhibition of history of the University from the UVA Special Collections, 1999.
- The Aviator: Remembering James Rogers McConnell, A Centennial ExhibitionOn March 19, 1917, James Rogers McConnell became the first UVA student to die in World War I. He is remembered most as one of the Lafayette Escadrille, a corps of American pilots fighting for the French before the U.S. joined the war. This exhibition surveys his extraordinary adventure, beginning with his decision to join the American Ambulance Corps in 1915, through flight training, combat, and injury, and finally to his death in aerial combat and subsequent memorialization at UVA and beyond.
- From Village to Grounds: Architecture after Jefferson at the University of VirginiaThe University of Virginia has presented the same challenge to many eminent architects: how does one build on a masterpiece? As the University has grown, Jefferson's architectural ideals have been tried and tested, adapted and interpreted. This exhibition explores the wide range of solutions to the architectural and planning problems posed by adding to a growing university.
- Breaking and Making Tradition: Women at the University of VirginiaIn 1970, 450 undergraduate women arrived on Grounds as part of the University of Virginia's first fully coeducational class. Although the UVA that they encountered was still very much a man's university, they were by no means the first women to make their mark here. This exhibition highlights the experiences of some of the first women to live, study, and work at the University, who paved the way for full coeducation.
- "Arise and Build! A Centennial Commemoration of the 1895 Rotunda FireThe fire of October 27, 1895, was a disaster: only the shell of the Rotunda remained standing; the Annex was a smoldering ruin; and two-thirds of the University Library's collection was destroyed. But the University did more than simply reconstruct the Rotunda. In the wake of the destruction emerged a rebuilt Rotunda, designed by Stanford White; three new buildings at the south end of the Lawn; a revitalized University Library; and a University with a growing national reputation.
Digital Collections - Oral Histories, Exhibits, Sites
- UVA Visual History CollectionDigitized photos of UVA
- HistoryMakers Digital ArchiveThis collection of oral history interviews with 2,700 historically significant African Americans includes politicians, religious leaders, athletes, musicians, civil rights activists, soldiers, and many more. Search for University of Virginia and related themes and topics to hear thoughts and recollections about the university and its culture.
- Land and LegacyLand and Legacy investigates the University of Virginia’s and UVA Foundation’s land development and expansion throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County since the 1980s. In light of UVA’s 2030 plan to be “Great and Good,” Land and Legacy examines how these developments have affected local communities, and place these impacts in dialogue with UVA’s public narratives.
- Jefferson's University - The Early Life Project, 1819-1870 (JUEL)UVA site of digitized documents from some of our collections, related to Jefferson's University.
- UVA President's Commission on Slavery and the UniversityFind linked reports, visitors' guide brochure on slavery at the university, videos from the 2017 symposium, and more on this site from UVA.
- Voices for EquityCollection of 50 years of documents addressing racial inequity at the University of Virginia written by students, faculty, staff, and working groups, analyzed for common themes, and entered into an interactive library format.
- "All the While We Grew Stronger": Queering the UniversityDigital version of an exhibit focusing on queer history at UVA. This exhibit was curated by student Chad Kamen.
- LGBTQ Center archive, University of VirginiaThis collection of digitized documents from the UVA LGBTQ Center was gathered as part of the Take Back the Archive project at UVA.
- "Unite the Right" Rally and Community Response Digital CollectionThe events of August 11 & 12, 2017 in Charlottesville saw loss of life, physical violence, and community turmoil significant enough to merit international media coverage. Our community will be recovering, assessing, and attempting to move forward for a long time to come.
- Encyclopedia VirginiaEncyclopedia Virginia is a publicly accessible online publication of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Encyclopedia Virginia is the first online reference work about the Commonwealth, aggregating in a single resource information on Virginia history, business, politics, and geography, plus the state’s proud heritage in the arts, religion, culture, and folklife.
These are just a handful of UVA-related online resources that may be of interest. See Researching the University of Virginia guide for more sources.