Dubious Statistics
Depending on how statistics are presented,
they can appear believable ... or not!
“‘USA Today has come out with a new survey − − apparently, three out of every four people make up seventy-five percent of the population.’” DAVID LETTERMAN
Evans, Harold. Do I Make Myself Clear? Why Writing Well Matters. Little, Brown and Company, 2017, p.158.
Beware of Spurious Correlations
Sometimes statistical findings are linked so that it appears that two separate trends are related. Keep an eye out for this misleading technique, known as 'spurious correlation.'
Check out this example from the site FiveThirtyEight. The blog Spurious Correlations, as the name suggests is full of even more examples.
Further Reading
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Statistics Every Writer Should KnowReview of how statistical terms are frequently used by journalists.
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Analyzing StatisticsHow statistics are used by newspapers and news outlets.
How to Lie with Statistics by Call Number: 001.422 H87h, 1982ISBN: 9780393094268Publication Date: 1982
Statistics Done Wrong : The Woefully Complete Guide by Call Number: eBookISBN: 1593276737Publication Date: 2015
Stat-spotting: A Field Guide to Identifying Dubious Data by Call Number: eBookISBN: 0520957075Publication Date: 2013
Look Out for Dubious Statistics
