Author: Jonathan Poritz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781984064585
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 142
Book Description
An intro to statistics.
Lies, Damned Lies, Or Statistics
Author: Jonathan Poritz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781984064585
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 142
Book Description
An intro to statistics.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781984064585
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 142
Book Description
An intro to statistics.
How to Lie with Statistics
Author: Darrell Huff
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393070875
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
If you want to outsmart a crook, learn his tricks—Darrell Huff explains exactly how in the classic How to Lie with Statistics. From distorted graphs and biased samples to misleading averages, there are countless statistical dodges that lend cover to anyone with an ax to grind or a product to sell. With abundant examples and illustrations, Darrell Huff’s lively and engaging primer clarifies the basic principles of statistics and explains how they’re used to present information in honest and not-so-honest ways. Now even more indispensable in our data-driven world than it was when first published, How to Lie with Statistics is the book that generations of readers have relied on to keep from being fooled.
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393070875
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
If you want to outsmart a crook, learn his tricks—Darrell Huff explains exactly how in the classic How to Lie with Statistics. From distorted graphs and biased samples to misleading averages, there are countless statistical dodges that lend cover to anyone with an ax to grind or a product to sell. With abundant examples and illustrations, Darrell Huff’s lively and engaging primer clarifies the basic principles of statistics and explains how they’re used to present information in honest and not-so-honest ways. Now even more indispensable in our data-driven world than it was when first published, How to Lie with Statistics is the book that generations of readers have relied on to keep from being fooled.
More Damned Lies and Statistics
Author: Joel Best
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520930029
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
In this sequel to the acclaimed Damned Lies and Statistics, which the Boston Globe said "deserves a place next to the dictionary on every school, media, and home-office desk," Joel Best continues his straightforward, lively, and humorous account of how statistics are produced, used, and misused by everyone from researchers to journalists. Underlining the importance of critical thinking in all matters numerical, Best illustrates his points with examples of good and bad statistics about such contemporary concerns as school shootings, fatal hospital errors, bullying, teen suicides, deaths at the World Trade Center, college ratings, the risks of divorce, racial profiling, and fatalities caused by falling coconuts. More Damned Lies and Statistics encourages all of us to think in a more sophisticated and skeptical manner about how statistics are used to promote causes, create fear, and advance particular points of view. Best identifies different sorts of numbers that shape how we think about public issues: missing numbers are relevant but overlooked; confusing numbers bewilder when they should inform; scary numbers play to our fears about the present and the future; authoritative numbers demand respect they don’t deserve; magical numbers promise unrealistic, simple solutions to complex problems; and contentious numbers become the focus of data duels and stat wars. The author's use of pertinent, socially important examples documents the life-altering consequences of understanding or misunderstanding statistical information. He demystifies statistical measures by explaining in straightforward prose how decisions are made about what to count and what not to count, what assumptions get made, and which figures are brought to our attention. Best identifies different sorts of numbers that shape how we think about public issues. Entertaining, enlightening, and very timely, this book offers a basis for critical thinking about the numbers we encounter and a reminder that when it comes to the news, people count—in more ways than one.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520930029
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
In this sequel to the acclaimed Damned Lies and Statistics, which the Boston Globe said "deserves a place next to the dictionary on every school, media, and home-office desk," Joel Best continues his straightforward, lively, and humorous account of how statistics are produced, used, and misused by everyone from researchers to journalists. Underlining the importance of critical thinking in all matters numerical, Best illustrates his points with examples of good and bad statistics about such contemporary concerns as school shootings, fatal hospital errors, bullying, teen suicides, deaths at the World Trade Center, college ratings, the risks of divorce, racial profiling, and fatalities caused by falling coconuts. More Damned Lies and Statistics encourages all of us to think in a more sophisticated and skeptical manner about how statistics are used to promote causes, create fear, and advance particular points of view. Best identifies different sorts of numbers that shape how we think about public issues: missing numbers are relevant but overlooked; confusing numbers bewilder when they should inform; scary numbers play to our fears about the present and the future; authoritative numbers demand respect they don’t deserve; magical numbers promise unrealistic, simple solutions to complex problems; and contentious numbers become the focus of data duels and stat wars. The author's use of pertinent, socially important examples documents the life-altering consequences of understanding or misunderstanding statistical information. He demystifies statistical measures by explaining in straightforward prose how decisions are made about what to count and what not to count, what assumptions get made, and which figures are brought to our attention. Best identifies different sorts of numbers that shape how we think about public issues. Entertaining, enlightening, and very timely, this book offers a basis for critical thinking about the numbers we encounter and a reminder that when it comes to the news, people count—in more ways than one.
Damned Lies and Statistics
Author: Joel Best
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520953517
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 218
Book Description
Here, by popular demand, is the updated edition to Joel Best's classic guide to understanding how numbers can confuse us. In his new afterword, Best uses examples from recent policy debates to reflect on the challenges to improving statistical literacy. Since its publication ten years ago, Damned Lies and Statistics has emerged as the go-to handbook for spotting bad statistics and learning to think critically about these influential numbers.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520953517
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 218
Book Description
Here, by popular demand, is the updated edition to Joel Best's classic guide to understanding how numbers can confuse us. In his new afterword, Best uses examples from recent policy debates to reflect on the challenges to improving statistical literacy. Since its publication ten years ago, Damned Lies and Statistics has emerged as the go-to handbook for spotting bad statistics and learning to think critically about these influential numbers.
A Field Guide to Lies
Author: Daniel J. Levitin
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593182529
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216
Book Description
Winner of the National Business Book Award From the New York Times bestselling author of The Organized Mind and This Is Your Brain on Music, a primer to the critical thinking that is more necessary now than ever We are bombarded with more information each day than our brains can process—especially in election season. It's raining bad data, half-truths, and even outright lies. New York Times bestselling author Daniel J. Levitin shows how to recognize misleading announcements, statistics, graphs, and written reports, revealing the ways lying weasels can use them. It's becoming harder to separate the wheat from the digital chaff. How do we distinguish misinformation, pseudo-facts, and distortions from reliable information? Levitin groups his field guide into two categories—statistical information and faulty arguments—ultimately showing how science is the bedrock of critical thinking. Infoliteracy means understanding that there are hierarchies of source quality and bias that variously distort our information feeds via every media channel, including social media. We may expect newspapers, bloggers, the government, and Wikipedia to be factually and logically correct, but they so often aren't. We need to think critically about the words and numbers we encounter if we want to be successful at work, at play, and in making the most of our lives. This means checking the plausibility and reasoning—not passively accepting information, repeating it, and making decisions based on it. Readers learn to avoid the extremes of passive gullibility and cynical rejection. Levitin's charming, entertaining, accessible guide can help anyone wake up to a whole lot of things that aren't so. And catch some weasels in their tracks!
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593182529
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216
Book Description
Winner of the National Business Book Award From the New York Times bestselling author of The Organized Mind and This Is Your Brain on Music, a primer to the critical thinking that is more necessary now than ever We are bombarded with more information each day than our brains can process—especially in election season. It's raining bad data, half-truths, and even outright lies. New York Times bestselling author Daniel J. Levitin shows how to recognize misleading announcements, statistics, graphs, and written reports, revealing the ways lying weasels can use them. It's becoming harder to separate the wheat from the digital chaff. How do we distinguish misinformation, pseudo-facts, and distortions from reliable information? Levitin groups his field guide into two categories—statistical information and faulty arguments—ultimately showing how science is the bedrock of critical thinking. Infoliteracy means understanding that there are hierarchies of source quality and bias that variously distort our information feeds via every media channel, including social media. We may expect newspapers, bloggers, the government, and Wikipedia to be factually and logically correct, but they so often aren't. We need to think critically about the words and numbers we encounter if we want to be successful at work, at play, and in making the most of our lives. This means checking the plausibility and reasoning—not passively accepting information, repeating it, and making decisions based on it. Readers learn to avoid the extremes of passive gullibility and cynical rejection. Levitin's charming, entertaining, accessible guide can help anyone wake up to a whole lot of things that aren't so. And catch some weasels in their tracks!
Truth, Lies & Statistics
Author: Lee Baker
Publisher: Lee Baker
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 46
Book Description
**Truth, Lies & Statistics: How to Lie with Statistics** Unlock the secrets of statistical deception with "Truth, Lies & Statistics: How to Lie with Statistics." This friendly, chatty, and slightly technical guide will help you understand how numbers can be twisted to mislead and misinform—and how you can see through the lies. Did you know that pirates supposedly caused global warming? Or that Mexican lemons are a major cause of deaths on American roads? Award-winning statistician and author Lee Baker takes you on a fascinating journey through eight witty chapters that reveal the tricks used by politicians, corporations, and others to deceive with statistics. **Benefits of this book:** - **Unmask statistical tricks:** Learn the techniques used to manipulate and misrepresent data. - **Enhance critical thinking:** Become adept at spotting misleading statistics in everyday life. - **Empower yourself with knowledge:** Understand how data is used for political and commercial gain. - **Enjoy an engaging read:** Complex concepts are made accessible and entertaining. From the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer's attempt to convince us that 5 lots of 10 make 150, to the President of the United States claiming that 420,000 is larger than 782,000, this book is packed with real-world examples of statistical lies. In his trademark sardonic style, Lee Baker reveals how these statistical hustlers get away with it. Written in plain English, "Truth, Lies & Statistics" is perfect for beginners and those who want to improve their data literacy. You'll discover how to lie with statistics, recognize data manipulation, and understand the methods used to deceive. With insights into data misrepresentation and techniques for identifying misleading statistics, this book will make you more critical and discerning. Get ready to explore the world of statistical deception, learn to spot fake data, and become an expert in understanding how statistics can be used to mislead. Don't be fooled by deceptive numbers—arm yourself with the knowledge to see through the lies. Grab your copy of "Truth, Lies & Statistics" today and start seeing the truth behind the numbers!
Publisher: Lee Baker
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 46
Book Description
**Truth, Lies & Statistics: How to Lie with Statistics** Unlock the secrets of statistical deception with "Truth, Lies & Statistics: How to Lie with Statistics." This friendly, chatty, and slightly technical guide will help you understand how numbers can be twisted to mislead and misinform—and how you can see through the lies. Did you know that pirates supposedly caused global warming? Or that Mexican lemons are a major cause of deaths on American roads? Award-winning statistician and author Lee Baker takes you on a fascinating journey through eight witty chapters that reveal the tricks used by politicians, corporations, and others to deceive with statistics. **Benefits of this book:** - **Unmask statistical tricks:** Learn the techniques used to manipulate and misrepresent data. - **Enhance critical thinking:** Become adept at spotting misleading statistics in everyday life. - **Empower yourself with knowledge:** Understand how data is used for political and commercial gain. - **Enjoy an engaging read:** Complex concepts are made accessible and entertaining. From the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer's attempt to convince us that 5 lots of 10 make 150, to the President of the United States claiming that 420,000 is larger than 782,000, this book is packed with real-world examples of statistical lies. In his trademark sardonic style, Lee Baker reveals how these statistical hustlers get away with it. Written in plain English, "Truth, Lies & Statistics" is perfect for beginners and those who want to improve their data literacy. You'll discover how to lie with statistics, recognize data manipulation, and understand the methods used to deceive. With insights into data misrepresentation and techniques for identifying misleading statistics, this book will make you more critical and discerning. Get ready to explore the world of statistical deception, learn to spot fake data, and become an expert in understanding how statistics can be used to mislead. Don't be fooled by deceptive numbers—arm yourself with the knowledge to see through the lies. Grab your copy of "Truth, Lies & Statistics" today and start seeing the truth behind the numbers!
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics
Author: Michael Wheeler
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 326
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 326
Book Description
Weaponized Lies
Author: Daniel J. Levitin
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1524742228
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 199
Book Description
Previously Published as A Field Guide to Lies We’re surrounded by fringe theories, fake news, and pseudo-facts. These lies are getting repeated. New York Times bestselling author Daniel Levitin shows how to disarm these socially devastating inventions and get the American mind back on track. Here are the fundamental lessons in critical thinking that we need to know and share now. Investigating numerical misinformation, Daniel Levitin shows how mishandled statistics and graphs can give a grossly distorted perspective and lead us to terrible decisions. Wordy arguments on the other hand can easily be persuasive as they drift away from the facts in an appealing yet misguided way. The steps we can take to better evaluate news, advertisements, and reports are clearly detailed. Ultimately, Levitin turns to what underlies our ability to determine if something is true or false: the scientific method. He grapples with the limits of what we can and cannot know. Case studies are offered to demonstrate the applications of logical thinking to quite varied settings, spanning courtroom testimony, medical decision making, magic, modern physics, and conspiracy theories. This urgently needed book enables us to avoid the extremes of passive gullibility and cynical rejection. As Levitin attests: Truth matters. A post-truth era is an era of willful irrationality, reversing all the great advances humankind has made. Euphemisms like “fringe theories,” “extreme views,” “alt truth,” and even “fake news” can literally be dangerous. Let's call lies what they are and catch those making them in the act.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1524742228
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 199
Book Description
Previously Published as A Field Guide to Lies We’re surrounded by fringe theories, fake news, and pseudo-facts. These lies are getting repeated. New York Times bestselling author Daniel Levitin shows how to disarm these socially devastating inventions and get the American mind back on track. Here are the fundamental lessons in critical thinking that we need to know and share now. Investigating numerical misinformation, Daniel Levitin shows how mishandled statistics and graphs can give a grossly distorted perspective and lead us to terrible decisions. Wordy arguments on the other hand can easily be persuasive as they drift away from the facts in an appealing yet misguided way. The steps we can take to better evaluate news, advertisements, and reports are clearly detailed. Ultimately, Levitin turns to what underlies our ability to determine if something is true or false: the scientific method. He grapples with the limits of what we can and cannot know. Case studies are offered to demonstrate the applications of logical thinking to quite varied settings, spanning courtroom testimony, medical decision making, magic, modern physics, and conspiracy theories. This urgently needed book enables us to avoid the extremes of passive gullibility and cynical rejection. As Levitin attests: Truth matters. A post-truth era is an era of willful irrationality, reversing all the great advances humankind has made. Euphemisms like “fringe theories,” “extreme views,” “alt truth,” and even “fake news” can literally be dangerous. Let's call lies what they are and catch those making them in the act.
Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics, Second Edition
Author: Matthew B. Robinson
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 1438448384
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Revised and updated edition that analyses how the Office of National Drug Control Policy employs statistics to misleadingly claim the War on Drugs is a success. First published in 2007, Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics critically analyzed claims made by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the White House agency of accountability in the nations drug war since 1989, as found in the six editions of the annual National Drug Control Strategy between 2000 and 2005. In this revised and updated second edition of their critically acclaimed work, Matthew B. Robinson and Renee G. Scherlen examine seven more recent editions (20062012) to once again determine if ONDCP accurately and honestly presents information or intentionally distorts evidence to justify continuing the drug war. They uncover the many ways in which ONDCP manipulates statistics and visually presents that information to the public. Their analysis demonstrates a drug war that consistently fails to reduce drug use, drug fatalities, or illnesses associated with drug use; fails to provide treatment for drug-dependent users; and drives up the prices of drugs. They conclude with policy recommendations for reforming ONDCPs use of statistics, as well as how the nation fights the war on drugs. Praise for the First Edition Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics is surprisingly easy to read, and Robinson and Scherlen have done a huge favor not only to critics of current drug policy by compiling this damning critique of ONDCP claims, but also to anyone interested in how data is compiled, presented, and misused by bureaucrats attempting to guard their domains. It should be required reading for members of Congress. Drug War Chronicle Book Review The authors have performed a valuable service to our democracy with their meticulous analysis of the White House ONDCP public statements and reports. They have pulled the sheet off what appears to be an official policy of deception using clever and sometimes clumsy attempts at statistical manipulation. This document, at last, gives us a map of the truth. Mike Gray, author of Drug Crazy: How We Got into This Mess and How We Can Get Out Robinson and Scherlen make a valuable contribution to documenting how ONDCP fails to live up to basic standards of accountability and consistency. Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 1438448384
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Revised and updated edition that analyses how the Office of National Drug Control Policy employs statistics to misleadingly claim the War on Drugs is a success. First published in 2007, Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics critically analyzed claims made by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the White House agency of accountability in the nations drug war since 1989, as found in the six editions of the annual National Drug Control Strategy between 2000 and 2005. In this revised and updated second edition of their critically acclaimed work, Matthew B. Robinson and Renee G. Scherlen examine seven more recent editions (20062012) to once again determine if ONDCP accurately and honestly presents information or intentionally distorts evidence to justify continuing the drug war. They uncover the many ways in which ONDCP manipulates statistics and visually presents that information to the public. Their analysis demonstrates a drug war that consistently fails to reduce drug use, drug fatalities, or illnesses associated with drug use; fails to provide treatment for drug-dependent users; and drives up the prices of drugs. They conclude with policy recommendations for reforming ONDCPs use of statistics, as well as how the nation fights the war on drugs. Praise for the First Edition Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics is surprisingly easy to read, and Robinson and Scherlen have done a huge favor not only to critics of current drug policy by compiling this damning critique of ONDCP claims, but also to anyone interested in how data is compiled, presented, and misused by bureaucrats attempting to guard their domains. It should be required reading for members of Congress. Drug War Chronicle Book Review The authors have performed a valuable service to our democracy with their meticulous analysis of the White House ONDCP public statements and reports. They have pulled the sheet off what appears to be an official policy of deception using clever and sometimes clumsy attempts at statistical manipulation. This document, at last, gives us a map of the truth. Mike Gray, author of Drug Crazy: How We Got into This Mess and How We Can Get Out Robinson and Scherlen make a valuable contribution to documenting how ONDCP fails to live up to basic standards of accountability and consistency. Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance
Sex, Lies and Statistics
Author: Belle de Jour
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549503146
Category : Sex
Languages : en
Pages : 155
Book Description
"An enlightening must-read for anyone exposed to the press" THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY"Should be read by anyone claiming an interest in sex and, especially, sex equality" EVENING STANDARD"An important book... exactly the kind of level-headed analysis that could help to dispel some of the hysteria surrounding the sex industry" THE TIMES"As entertaining as it is erudite" THE OBSERVERAs Belle de Jour she enthralled and outraged the nation in equal measure. Now her real identity is out in the open, Brooke's background as a scientist and a researcher can come to bear in her fascinating investigation into the truth behind the headlines, scandals and moral outrage that fill the media (and our minds) when it comes to sex. Using her entertaining and informed voice, Brooke strips away the hype and looks at the science behind sex and the panic behind public policy. Unlike so many media column inches, Brooke uses verifiable academic research. This is fact, not fiction; science not supposition. So sit back, open your mind and prepare to be shocked...(Review excerpts refer to 2012 UK edition)
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549503146
Category : Sex
Languages : en
Pages : 155
Book Description
"An enlightening must-read for anyone exposed to the press" THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY"Should be read by anyone claiming an interest in sex and, especially, sex equality" EVENING STANDARD"An important book... exactly the kind of level-headed analysis that could help to dispel some of the hysteria surrounding the sex industry" THE TIMES"As entertaining as it is erudite" THE OBSERVERAs Belle de Jour she enthralled and outraged the nation in equal measure. Now her real identity is out in the open, Brooke's background as a scientist and a researcher can come to bear in her fascinating investigation into the truth behind the headlines, scandals and moral outrage that fill the media (and our minds) when it comes to sex. Using her entertaining and informed voice, Brooke strips away the hype and looks at the science behind sex and the panic behind public policy. Unlike so many media column inches, Brooke uses verifiable academic research. This is fact, not fiction; science not supposition. So sit back, open your mind and prepare to be shocked...(Review excerpts refer to 2012 UK edition)