Statistics

[docsherm]

73% of all statistics are made up......

[SteyrAUG]

Makes me think of Penn & Teller's Bullshit! episode "Numbers"

I sorta miss that show.

[SteyrAUG]

73% of all statistics are made up......

Pffffft.....you know it's 87%. Hasn't been 73% since the 1960s.

[chuckman]

Statistics have their place, and are extremely useful. But most of the media do not know how to use or interpret statistics and try to bang a square peg into a round hole. Then there are organizations that have an agenda and rig their numbers. Then there are pseudo-statisticians who use bad math and bad methodology.

One thing I have learned over the past three years: most people have never had a statistics course. That said, I had a stats prof who would would say "a number will tell you anything you want to hear if you squeeze it hard enough."

[Averageman]

Statistics have their place, and are extremely useful. But most of the media do not know how to use or interpret statistics and try to bang a square peg into a round hole. Then there are organizations that have an agenda and rig their numbers. Then there are pseudo-statisticians who use bad math and bad methodology.

One thing I have learned over the past three years: most people have never had a statistics course. That said, I had a stats prof who would would say "a number will tell you anything you want to hear if you squeeze it hard enough."

My Ex did Medical statistics for Big Pharma. She would squeeze the hell out of numbers to work for her.

[markm]

People who cite Stats should HAVE TO pass a Stats class.

[Averageman]

People who cite Stats should HAVE TO pass a Stats class.

I took a 40 level Stats class that was taught by a Catholic Priest. A unique class for sure, I learned a lot.

[chuckman]

People who cite Stats should HAVE TO pass a Stats class.

No kidding.

I have had three; two at the grad school level. I left more confused than when I started.

[markm]

No kidding.

I have had three; two at the grad school level. I left more confused than when I started.

I had a great professor. I think it was a 200 level class. He made damned sure we were prepared for his class, even at the expense of other classes assignments.

[chuckman]

I had a great professor. I think it was a 200 level class. He made damned sure we were prepared for his class, even at the expense of other classes assignments.

My undergrad class was great. One grad level was stats related to research, and the other was stats related to epidemiology and public health. Really, I learned a lot, but the most important thing I learned was to leave it to the people who do it for a living; or, if I have to 'do' statistics to engage in research or publish, use SAS software. A TI84 can only take me so far.