Making sense of data in the media

Table of content

1 Introduction
2 How to make numbers sound big, or small, even when they aren't: `Is that a lot?'
3 Recognising which numbers you should trust: `Where is data from?'
4 Making surveys representative: `Who you gonna call?'
5 Graphics in the media and how to read them: `What does this mean?'
6 Maps in the media: `Where is this happening?'
7 Mapping patterns and people: `Why does geography matter?'
8 Understanding uncertainty in estimation: `Are you sure?'
9 Ranking with league tables: `What's the best?'
10 When a relationship (doesn't) mean causality: `How did that happen?'
11. Surprising quirks in the media: `Is that possible?'
12.Conclusion

"There are two ways to learn about statistics. You could endure pages of maths and formulae, or you could learn from informative case studies exploring how, when and why data is used well or badly in today's society. I prefer the second option. Happily, the authors do too." - Richard Harris, University of Bristol
This is not your typical statistics textbook.
The amount of data produced by and presented in the media has never been greater. But can we trust what we are being shown? In an age of fake news, how can you understand what data is real, misleading, or simply plain wrong?
This book shows you how to critically evaluate the data you see in the media. It weaves everyday real-life examples with statistical concepts in a way that makes statistics come alive. No complex equations, no overly technical language.
This isn’t just learning the techniques needed to pass a stats course. This is a book for anyone who reads (or writes) the news, watches adverts, or goes on the Internet. It will give you tools and knowledge you can apply every day to make sense of the use, and misuse, of data in the media.

https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/making-sense-of-data-in-the-media/book260741