Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and Activists Essay

This report is based upon the book Damned Lies and Statistics Untangling meter from the Media, Politicians, and Activists, pen by Joel take up and published by University of California crusade in 2001. Joel go around, a professor of sociology and criminal justice at the University of Delaw ar, has written a highly readable treatise on statistics, and how we can become let on consumers of the statistical information that permeates the environment in which we live.Joel Best is a sociologist and, as a result, this is not a book more or less the mathematics of statistics, entirely about its sociology. That is, a book about the ways in which swelled statistics ar generated and spread with society. The title of the book comes from Mark twains famous express lies, damned lies, and statistics, which is usually interpreted as grouping statistics with lies. A more critical title would come from the phrase figures dont lie, but liars can figure.Despite its misanthropical title, Be sts book is one of the best ways to nail how to cease being awestruck by statistics, and to start critically evaluating them. In straightforward prose filled with real world examples, Joel Best deconstructs the processes by which tender statistics ar created and take on a life of their own, primarily through blind and unquestioning repetition by the media. He also delineates how such statistics are sometimes mutated, misinterpreted, misapplied, and manipulated.In his view, there are no gross(a) statistics, just better or worse ones. Every statistic involves human choices delineate what to measure, determining how to measure it, deciding whom to count or how to count it, and choosing how to upsurge with unreported cases (the dark figure) of whatever is being counted. Not only does each statistic contain identifiable, though generally unrecognized strengths, weaknesses, and dark figures, but many an(prenominal) of the most contr oversial and heavily publicized statistics are created by race in advocacy positions.Social statistics statistics about social problems, such as prostitution or suicide are often produced by activists who are concerned about the problem, and whitethorn exaggerate it. When not produced by activists, statistics are often a product of government, which may be motivated in the opposite direction of the activists, to play down a problem. A immediate summary of the issues and topics in this book offers a mature overview of clear thought on statistical issues. Chapter 1, The Importance of Social Statistics, explains where statistics come from, how we use them, and wherefore they are important.Chapter 2, Soft Facts, discusses sources of bad statistics. Guessing, poor definitions, poor measures, and bad samples are the primary sources of bad statistics. Good statistics require good data clear, liable definitions clear, reasonable measures and appropriate samples. Chapter 3, Mutant Statistics, describes the methods for mangling b e. Most of these arise from violating the four requirements of good statistics, but a new problem arises here. While it is relatively cushy to spot bad statistics, mutant statistics require a second take of understanding.As statistics mutate, they take on a history, and it becomes necessary to unravel the history to understand just how and why they are mutant. Transformation, confusion, and compound errors create handcuffs of bad statistics that become difficult to trace and categorize. Chapter 4, Apples and Oranges, discusses the dangers of inappropriate comparison. Dangers arise when comparisons over time involve changing and unchanging measures, and projections. Comparisons among places and groups lead to problems not and in the data measured, but in the ways the data may be gathered and collated.Comparison among social problems also creates unique difficulties. Best offers logic of comparison to help the reader understand how to make smell out of good comparison and bad co mparison. Chapter 5, Stat Wars, describes the problems that arise when advocated use questionable numbers to make a case. Chapter 6, Thinking About Social Statistics, sums up Bests advice on understanding statistics dont be awestruck in the face of numbers, and dont be cynical about them, he suggests, be critical and thoughtful.