Stat-Spotting A Field Guide to Identifying Dubious Data
Stat-Spotting: A Field Guide to Identifying Dubious Data by Joel Best, published by Univ of California Press on September 14, 2013, is an updated and expanded first edition comprising 146 pages. This book addresses the prevalence of misleading statistics in everyday life, highlighting how even reputable sources can present data that is miscalculated or misinterpreted. Best provides readers with tools to critically evaluate the statistics they encounter in news and media, fostering a more discerning approach to information consumption.
In this edition, readers will find revised benchmark statistics and updated resources, along with a new section dedicated to the rhetorical uses of statistics. The book presents various examples and problems to help readers identify questionable data practices. Covering subjects such as political science, social science, and research, Stat-Spotting offers an accessible approach to understanding data without requiring advanced mathematical skills, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of statistical information.
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Does a young person commit suicide every thirteen minutes in the United States? Are four million women really battered to death by their husbands or boyfriends each year? Is methamphetamine our number one drug problem today? Alarming statistics bombard our daily lives, appearing in the news, on the Web, seemingly everywhere. But all too often, even the most respected publications present numbers that are miscalculated, misinterpreted, hyped, or simply misleading.
This new edition contains revised benchmark statistics, updated resources, and a new section on the rhetorical uses of statistics, complete with new problems to be spotted and new examples illustrating those problems. Joel Best’s best seller exposes questionable uses of statistics and guides the reader toward becoming a more critical, savvy consumer of news, information, and data.
Entertaining, informative, and concise, Stat-Spotting takes a commonsense approach to understanding data and doesn’t require advanced math or statistics.
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