Making Sense of Data in the Media
A Guide for Social Scientists
1st Edition
Published on 22. November 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-1-5264-4720-3 (ISBN)
Description
The amount of data produced, captured and transmitted through the media has never been greater. But for this data to be useful, it needs to be properly understood and claims made about or with data need to be properly scrutinized.
Through a series of examples of statistics in the media, this book shows you how to critically assess the presentation of data in the media, to identify what is significant and to sort verifiable conclusions from misleading claims. How accurate are polls, and how should we know? How should league tables be read? Are numbers presented as 'large' really as big as they may seem at first glance? By answering these questions and more, readers will learn a number of statistical concepts central to many undergraduate social science statistics courses. By tying them in to real life examples, the importance and relevance of these concepts comes to life. As such, this book does more than teaches techniques needed for a statistics course; it teaches you life skills that we need to use every single day.
Through a series of examples of statistics in the media, this book shows you how to critically assess the presentation of data in the media, to identify what is significant and to sort verifiable conclusions from misleading claims. How accurate are polls, and how should we know? How should league tables be read? Are numbers presented as 'large' really as big as they may seem at first glance? By answering these questions and more, readers will learn a number of statistical concepts central to many undergraduate social science statistics courses. By tying them in to real life examples, the importance and relevance of these concepts comes to life. As such, this book does more than teaches techniques needed for a statistics course; it teaches you life skills that we need to use every single day.
Reviews / Votes
What a timely book. In a world drowning in data we all need to know how to critically evaluate the numbers we confront every day. This book will help you ask those all-important questions and demystify statistics. From 'is that a lot?' to 'is that possible?' the authors guide you through statistical techniques that are easy to understand and simple to apply. Read it, learn the techniques and use them to become a critical data consumer. -- Jackie Carter There are two ways to learn about statistics. You could endure pages of maths, formulae and words that are, literally, 'so last century' (or more). Or you could learn from informative case studies exploring how, when and why data are used well or badly in today's society. I prefer the second option; happily, the authors do too. -- Richard Harris This excellent new book goes beyond the familiar fundamental concepts of statistics to cover the vital, but often neglected issues of place and time. It is essential reading for students who want to understand the use and misuse of numbers. -- Robert de VriesMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 244 mm
Width: 170 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
475 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5264-4720-3 (9781526447203)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Andrew Bell | Todd Hartman | Aneta Piekut
Making Sense of Data in the Media
A Guide for Social Scientists
Book
11/2019
1st Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€160.90
Shipment within 15-20 days
Andrew Bell | Todd Hartman | Aneta Piekut
Making Sense of Data in the Media
E-Book
11/2019
1st Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€73.49
Available for download
Andrew Bell | Todd Hartman | Aneta Piekut
Making Sense of Data in the Media
E-Book
11/2019
1st Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€73.49
Available for download
Persons
Andrew Bell is a Lecturer at the Sheffield Methods Institute, University of Sheffield. His research spans a wide range of social sciences and beyond, with work on social inequalities, segregation, mental health, education and more. He also investigates the performance of different quantitative methods for use in the social sciences, with a focus on multilevel models. His twitter is @andrewjdbell.
Todd Hartman is Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Social Sciences at the Sheffield Methods Institute. His research focuses on political psychology, especially political attitudes and inter-group relations. He has extensive experience conducting surveys and experiments. His twitter is @tkhartman
Aneta Piekut is a Lecturer at the Sheffield Methods Institute, the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationship between ethnic diversity and social cohesion, attitudes towards immigration and ethnic minorities, as well as integration and socio-spatial segregation. She teaches undergraduate students how to design a survey, do a mixed-methods research and how to replicate a scientific paper. Her twitter is @anetapiekut
Alasdair Rae is the founder of Automatic Knowledge Ltd, a UK-based data and insights company, focusing on spatial data analysis and the built environment. Prior to that, he was a Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield. He is a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, a recipient of the Royal Town Planning Institute's Sir Peter Hall award for Wider Engagement, a former Commissioner of the UK2070 Commission, and a winner of the Royal Statistical Society's 'Stat of the Year'. His most recent academic work has focused on spatial analysis, deprivation, housing markets and megaregions, and his work frequently appears in the national and international media. He has a PhD from the University of Liverpool, an MA from The Ohio State University and a BA from the University of Strathclyde. Mark Taylor is Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Methods (Sociology) at the Sheffield Methods Institute, University of Sheffield, and is AHRC Leadership Fellow (Creative Economy) until 2021. His research interests are in the sociology of culture: in consumption, production, and education, and its relationship to inequality. He spends a lot of time visualising data, and wrangling data into a shape where it can be visualised. His twitter is @markrt
Todd Hartman is Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Social Sciences at the Sheffield Methods Institute. His research focuses on political psychology, especially political attitudes and inter-group relations. He has extensive experience conducting surveys and experiments. His twitter is @tkhartman
Aneta Piekut is a Lecturer at the Sheffield Methods Institute, the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationship between ethnic diversity and social cohesion, attitudes towards immigration and ethnic minorities, as well as integration and socio-spatial segregation. She teaches undergraduate students how to design a survey, do a mixed-methods research and how to replicate a scientific paper. Her twitter is @anetapiekut
Alasdair Rae is the founder of Automatic Knowledge Ltd, a UK-based data and insights company, focusing on spatial data analysis and the built environment. Prior to that, he was a Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield. He is a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, a recipient of the Royal Town Planning Institute's Sir Peter Hall award for Wider Engagement, a former Commissioner of the UK2070 Commission, and a winner of the Royal Statistical Society's 'Stat of the Year'. His most recent academic work has focused on spatial analysis, deprivation, housing markets and megaregions, and his work frequently appears in the national and international media. He has a PhD from the University of Liverpool, an MA from The Ohio State University and a BA from the University of Strathclyde. Mark Taylor is Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Methods (Sociology) at the Sheffield Methods Institute, University of Sheffield, and is AHRC Leadership Fellow (Creative Economy) until 2021. His research interests are in the sociology of culture: in consumption, production, and education, and its relationship to inequality. He spends a lot of time visualising data, and wrangling data into a shape where it can be visualised. His twitter is @markrt
Content
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 How to make numbers sound big, or small, even when they aren't: "Is that a lot?"
Chapter 3 Recognizing which numbers you should trust: "Where is the data from?"
Chapter 4 Making surveys representative: "Who you gonna call?"
Chapter 5 Graphics in the media and how to read them: "What does this mean?
Chapter 6 Maps in the media: "Where is this happening?"
Chapter 7 Mapping patterns and people: why does geography matter?
Chapter 8 Understanding uncertainty in estimation: "are you sure?"
Chapter 9 Ranking with league tables: "What's the best?"
Chapter 10 When a relationship (doesn't) mean causality: "How did that happen?"
Chapter 11 Surprising quirks in the media: "Is that possible?"
Chapter 12 Conclusion
Chapter 2 How to make numbers sound big, or small, even when they aren't: "Is that a lot?"
Chapter 3 Recognizing which numbers you should trust: "Where is the data from?"
Chapter 4 Making surveys representative: "Who you gonna call?"
Chapter 5 Graphics in the media and how to read them: "What does this mean?
Chapter 6 Maps in the media: "Where is this happening?"
Chapter 7 Mapping patterns and people: why does geography matter?
Chapter 8 Understanding uncertainty in estimation: "are you sure?"
Chapter 9 Ranking with league tables: "What's the best?"
Chapter 10 When a relationship (doesn't) mean causality: "How did that happen?"
Chapter 11 Surprising quirks in the media: "Is that possible?"
Chapter 12 Conclusion