Increasing the use of statistics

Session 1 Subregional Workshop on Dissemination and Use of Population

and Housing Census Results with a Gender Focus

Strategy 1:

Build statistical literacy“the ability to understand statistics”

“The future of our statistics officedepends on how widespread

statistical literacy is in society.”

Anu OtsCommunications Chief, Statistics Estonia

Jessica Gardner4

Specify

Needs

Design Build

Collect

Process

Analyse

Disseminate Archive Evaluate

Where do statistics come from?

25-29 July 2011

Tips and tricks when using statistics

counting is complicated

2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4

size is that a big number?

Absolute and relative numbers

4,000 boys in Utopia are malnourished 40,000 (10%); 400,000 (1%)

50% increase in crime in Niceville (pop. 10,000) 400 incidents 800 incidents 4 8

average what does that mean?

Average (mean)$63,000

Median$46,000

Mean – sum of values / number of values Median – the middle value Mode – most frequently observed value

sampling is it representative?

40 millionin 2001, UNAIDS

38 2006

urban maternity clinics

Jessica Gardner18

How to judge data quality

Data Quality

Relevance

AccuracyCredibility

TimelinessAccessibilityInterpretability

Coherence

Cost-efficiency

Source: OECD (www.oecd.org/dataoecd/26/38/21687665.pdf)

25-29 July 2011

A weighted, fixed basket of goods?

Strategy 2:

Make your statistics interesting

On their own, statistics are just numbers

What is a statistical story? One that doesn’t just

recite data in words Catches the

reader’s attention Interesting Informs the reader

Why tell a story? Draw attention to the statistics Get to know your own data better Ensure correct use of statistics Increase the use of data Rewarding

“The Statistician shall … publish or otherwise disseminate such statistics or abstracts of them with or without observations thereon.“

Samoa Statistics Act 1971

Considerations Accurate information Be independent and unbiased Inform not mislead Guarantee confidentiality Protect vulnerable groups

Encourage good writing

Way to get recognition (for the writers and for the organization)

Well written story can be used “as is” by the media thereby minimising error

Make writing a team effort

Identify a theme• International days• Year of the ….• Current events• Holidays• Frequently asked

questions• A series on “The way we

live now”

8 March International Womens’ Day

22 March World Day for Water

15 May International Day of Families

20 June World Refugee Day

11 July World Population Day

12 August World Youth Day

1 October International Day of Older Persons

15 October International Day of Rural Women

25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Source: http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/calendar_days_weeks_08.html

Source: US Census Bureau http://blogs.census.gov/

Writing tips

Grab your reader’s attention Headline First paragraph

Focus on findings not process Use images Simple words that people understand Sub-headings and bulleted lists for easy

scanning

Write like a journalist: “inverted pyramid style”

Idea

Dataset

Analysis

ConclusionsIdea

Dataset

Analysis

Conclusions

Prime Minister releases census results

Arrival statistics now available

GDP Report for September 2010

Population growing faster than ever

Agriculture production in decline

Tourism on the rise

Headlines

Catchy and interesting Summarize the most important finding No longer than one line Use few or no numbers

The release of a report is not the headline – focus on the findings within

Add a descriptive title with the main message

Lead paragraph

Focus on one or two findings Writing in everyday language Create images in the minds of your reader Use few numbers Be brief - try to keep it within five lines

Mention assumptions, methodologies or details of how you collected the data

ExampleBEFORE:Divorces2003

In 2003, 70,828 couples divorced, up a slight 1.0% from the recent low of 70,155 in 2002.

The number of divorces has remained relatively stable over the last few years. The year-to-year change has been below two percent for every year since 1999.

AFTER:Divorces2003

Repeat divorces, those involving people who had been divorced before, are accounting for an increasing proportion of divorces in Canada.

In 1973, only 5.4% of divorces involved husbands who had been previously divorced. Some 30 years later, this proportion has tripled.

Make big numbers easier to understand

“Of the $246.8 billion in retail spending last year, consumers spent $86.4 billion on cars and parts, and $59.3 billion on food and beverages.”

“Of every $100 spent in retail stores last year, consumers spent $31 on cars and parts, compared with $23 on food and beverages.”

Women now comprise 18.8% of parliamentarians around the

world

“ Almost 20% of parliamentarians are women”

Practice!