RobertNiles.com: Statistics Every Writer Should Know

internetscout

Robert Niles, a journalist and producer for the LA Times, created this site to help other writers learn the basics of statistics. He explains many key concepts that are essential to report accurate, meaningful numbers and facts. After starting with the fundamentals of mean, median, and percent, Niles goes on to describe more advanced topics like normal distribution, margin of error, and data analysis. For each section, an example or two are provided to demonstrate proper usage of the techniques. A discussion of some frequently asked questions is also given, which covers survey sample sizes and choosing the right statistical test for different kinds of data.

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Subject keyword(s)	Statistics -- Computer-assisted instruction., Statistics -- Popular works., Statistics -- Programmed instruction.

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Statistics Every Writer Should Know A simple guide to understanding basic statistics, for journalists and other writers who might not know math. Numbers can't "talk," but they can tell you as much as your human sources can. But just like with human sources, you have to ask! So what should you ask a number? Well, mathematicians have developed an entire field - statistics - dedicated to getting answers out of numbers. Now, you don't have to have a degree in statistics in order to conduct an effective "interview" with your data. But you do need to know a few basics. Here, described in plain English, are some basic concepts in statistics that every writer should know... So, You're a Beginner? Mean Let's get started... Median How to find out how the "average Joe" is doing Percent Ch-ch-ch-changes... The Next Step: Not Getting Duped Per capita and Rates When an increase is really a decrease and other ways people can use numbers to trick you Standard Deviation and Normal Distribution A quick look at the King of Stats Margin of Error and Confidence Interval How not to get suckered by polls and other research Data Analysis How to tell if these numbers are really worth writing about anyway Frequently Asked Questions Sample Sizes "So how come a survey of 1,600 people can tell me what 250 million are thinking?" Finding Data on the Internet "So where can I find the inflation rate, crime statistics, and other data?" Statistical Tests "How do I pick the correct statistical test for me?" Moving On Student's T Is your sample relevant to the larger population it is supposed to represent? Use the t-test to find out. About Robert NilesRobert Niles lives in Southern California, where he works as an author and website editor. E-mail Robert Books by RobertStories from a Theme Park Insider Dozens of fun stories about what it's like to work at Walt Disney World Robert's Stats Guide Mean Median Mode Percent Rates Standard Deviation Margin of Error Data Analysis Sample Sizes Stats Tests Student's T More from RobertThemeParkInsider.com Violinist.com Sensible Talk What is Journalism? HTML Guide Finding Data on the Internet Covering Elections ©1995-2012 Robert Niles. All rights reserved.