How To Lie With Statistics Summary
Darrell Huff: How to Lie with Statistics
The Lowdown: This How to Lie with Statistics Summary is based on the popular book from Darrell Huff, which demonstrates how all numbers tin be manipulated, fifty-fifty when they are presented every bit objective.
Anytime a person wants to make a strong case for why an idea is true, they often rely on statistics. Because numbers themselves can't lie, we often times take the stats and accept them as true and accurate, considering often times they are put together by experts.
However, equally with anything in life, it is never that simple. Very rarely are stats built within an unbiased vacuum, and due to this, they will ever never exist 100% authentic.
The Three Master Lessons you'll larn from How to Lie with Statistics include:
- The style we gather data for Stats is inherently wrong
- How Charts can be Manipulated
- Deviation between Percentages and Numbers
Lesson One: The manner we gather information for Stats is inherently incorrect
Often times we hear of studies and the information they provide, and take the values for what they are. However, we never pare the layer back to run into how they gathered the information.
For instance, how many people did they ask? Did they phone call these people, and if so, what fourth dimension of day were they called? Did they send an eastward-mail and have people take a survey, or did they do a social media poll to notice the information? Were they mostly women or men? What ages were the people?
There is very little transparency within studies, and due to this, the information which is gathered doesn't tell the full story. There are typically nada controls within the group, meaning the information which is gathered cannot possibly exist completely unbiased. You could conduct a study five different times, and because the people are completely random, could take five different results. In that location must be sure controls put into identify in order for a written report to have a meaningful touch, otherwise, the data which is gathered provides no value.
Lesson Ii: How Charts can exist Manipulated
If you read a story on-line, or watch a news prove, they frequently times will use a graph to demonstrate the results they are showing. However, virtually graphs tin can be manipulated to accentuate the information they really want to testify.
For example, if you desire to show the divergence in wages betwixt men and women, and the deviation is $10,000 a year (say, in a hypothetical sense, Women make $90,000 a year and Men make $100,000 a yr), you could show a bar graph. The bar graph can start at $0, and with that, you tin see in that location is a difference but the gap doesn't await similar much. However, if you start the graph at $75,000, and use the aforementioned size of graph, then the difference volition await a lot bigger.
You tin can likewise utilise other graphics to showcase this difference. Rather than a bar nautical chart, you lot can apply a bag of coin to correspond the deviation in value. Not just would the $lx,000 be taller, merely since it is taller, in society to wait correct, it would also have to be wider. These means of manipulating graphs and graphics pb to a bias, and help shape a message which may not b completely accurate.
Lesson 3: Departure betwixt Percentages and Numbers
If we use the same example as above, it tin be stated in a few different ways.
Women make 10% less than Men on an average basis.
Over their working careers, Women will make over $450,000 less than Men.
Women make an average of just under $1,000 a month less than Men.
There are different means to convey the results, and depending upon who is delivering the results will typically decide how inflammatory the information actually is.
Not only this, but hopefully, you have started to enquire some questions apropos this data. For instance, how many women and men did they survey? What fields do the men and women piece of work within which they received this information from; are they comparison the same industries? Are the men and women they are asking the same historic period?
Without knowing all the variables which go into each study, then reading the information (whether it is presented past percentages or by numbers) can be very misleading.
My Personal Takeaway
When it comes to surveys and polls, information technology is clear that I practice not inquire enough questions. By typically only showing the results of even i question, it makes y'all ponder how many questions were the people asked? What are the controls which are being used to ensure the information which is presented is fair and authentic?
Without having this information, then information technology is very difficult to have any survey at face value.
Did this summary excite you?
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Put into Action
Pay more than attending to the information being presented, and become a critical thinker. Don't take the information as 100% complete truth until you ask the right questions. A medication might show that information technology tin reduce your chances to contract a mutual cold, only will it increase your chances for heart disease or some other ailment? Ask all the necessary questions earlier enacting upon the information given.
You should consider buying this book if…
You desire to learn more about how statistics are used to manipulate the information y'all see on a mean solar day to mean solar day ground, and become more aware of how to kickoff challenging the information which is given to you.
a Swedish university student, marketing professional, and life-long learner. Here at BookSummaryClub I summarize my favorite non-fiction books into easily digested posts. Promise you like what yous're reading!
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