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Statistics, when used in a misleading fashion, can trick the casual observer into believing something other than what the data shows. That is, a misuse of statistics occurs when a statistical argument asserts a falsehood. In some cases, the misuse may be accidental. In others, it is purposeful and for the gain of the perpetrator.
The origin of the phrase "Lies, damned lies, and statistics" is unclear, but Mark Twain attributed it to Benjamin Disraeli [1] "Lies, damned lies, and statistics" is a phrase describing the persuasive power of statistics to bolster weak arguments, "one of the best, and best-known" critiques of applied statistics. [2]
Statistical bias exists in numerous stages of the data collection and analysis process, including: the source of the data, the methods used to collect the data, the estimator chosen, and the methods used to analyze the data. Data analysts can take various measures at each stage of the process to reduce the impact of statistical bias in their ...
Simpson's paradox is a phenomenon in probability and statistics in which a trend appears in several groups of data but disappears or reverses when the groups are combined. This result is often encountered in social-science and medical-science statistics, [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] and is particularly problematic when frequency data are unduly given ...
How to Read Numbers: A Guide to Statistics in the News (and Knowing When to Trust Them) is a 2021 British book by Tom and David Chivers. It describes misleading uses of statistics in the news, with contemporary examples about the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare, politics and crime. The book was conceived by the authors, who are cousins, in early ...
Pages in category "Misuse of statistics" The following 27 pages are in this category, out of 27 total. ... Misleading graph; Moving the goalposts; P. P-hacking;
Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] Misinformation and disinformation are not interchangeable terms: Misinformation can exist with or without specific malicious intent whereas disinformation is distinct in that the information is deliberately deceptive and propagated.
In fact, the researchers found that demonstrating that a source spreads falsehoods deliberately (disinformation) is more effective in discrediting opponents than claiming they spread falsehoods unintentionally (misinformation). [10] This is one example how ACT may be useful for developing strategies for discrediting sources of falsehoods. [9]