Misleading Statistics

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Recommended: The role of statistics in our daily life

On BBC or CNN, they commonly use graphs or charts to go along with news presenters to facilitate viewers’ understanding. Those graphs and charts including news and information are called statistics. In other words, according to John Slaght, Paddy Harben and Anne Pallant, authors of English for Academic Study, Reading and Writing Source book, statistics refers to “ collections of data gathered” by research methods ( Slaght, Harben & Pallent, 2010, 29). Statistics could be used to prove any topic, to summarize, or to predict what is likely to happen. More important thing is interpretation. It should be made very careful, for it may mislead. Bias sources, inappropriate research methodology, and a specific particular group of audience can cause such misleading. Yet, there are some statistics that can be reliable, for instance, statistics in the fields of social science and law. However, this essay will argue that statistics are more likely to tell lies rather than facts.

To start with, statistics are reliable when they are from social studies and legal document. Namely, survey on numbers of primary school students from 2000 to 2009, a benchmark study on production department of a garment factory, or annual reports of population growth rate, all have to be most accurate because their results are particular and significant contributions to meet national development goals, to fulfill clients’ expectation as well as to make better business process, and to foresee the future economic demand when the increase comes true respectively. Thus, it should be more believable when we read data from social science.

In addition to social science, legal statistics are also recognized as dependable references due to obligation. Just as judging ...

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...n, (2010). Survey of Cambodian Public Opinion [online]. Phnom Penh, Cambodia, International Republican Institute. Available from: http://www.iri.org/sites/default/files/2011%20January%2020%20Survey%20of%20Cambodian%20Public%20Opinion,%20July%2012-August%206,%202010%20--%20Khmer%20and%20English%20version.pdf [Accessed 08 February 2011].

Author unknown, (2009). Poverty Profile and Trends in Cambodia: Findings from the 2007 Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey (CSES) [online]. East Asia and Pacific Region, Work Bank. Available from: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2009/08/09/000333038_20090809234032/Rendered/PDF/486180WP0P11191ofile120071withCover.pdf [Accessed 8 February 2011].

Slaght, J., Harben, P. & Pallant, A., (2010). English for academic study: Reading &Writing Source Book: What is statistics?. Garnet Publishing Ltd.: UK.

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