Have you every noticed how often media get statistics wrong? I mean the proper use or a meaningful comparison of statistics. It's sad that those who are in the seat to help all of us understand science are woefully unprepared to do so. That's why I encourage communications students to take a sadistics, I mean statistics, class so that they can then help communicate science/data/results in a manner that not only can be understood, but also has context for the listener/viewer/reader.
Andrew Lang, a late 19th-century Scottish poet, said, "He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp posts - for support rather than for illumination." I'd opt for either one right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment