Analytics Dispatch 8/1/2016
Lies and statistics
SPIN DOCTORS
Our nine-point guide to spotting a dodgy statistic
Numbers might appear unwavering and objective, but they're easily manipulated—especially by politicians. Here are some common ways people spin numbers to support their agenda, with real-life examples from Brexit, the U.S. presidential election, and more. - The Guardian
PAIR OF GENES
The Genomics Inflection Point: Implications for Healthcare
Genomics has the potential to massively improve on our collective health. Although cost has dropped significantly and technology has improved, genomics hasn't yet been widely adopted by the public. This survey of 1,000 consumers sheds light on the challenges genomics faces before becoming a normal part of everyday healthcare. - Rock Health
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
10 Significant Visualisation Developments: January to June 2016
Every six months, visualization expert Andy Kirk puts together a list of people and projects he feels have impacted the field. This roundup includes climate spiral plots, #MakeoverMonday, and a talk from the Deputy Graphics Editor at The New York Times. - Visualising Data
COURSE CORRECTING
Understanding Bias: A Pre-requisite For Trustworthy Results
“What causes bias? How can we correct it, and how does our picture of how the world works factor in to that?” - Adam Kelleher
People are talking about: terrorism
The recent terrorist attacks in Europe and the U.S. have prompted a number of analyses of the impact of terrorism worldwide.
- How terrorism in the West compares to terrorism everywhere else (The Washington Post)
- People Killed by Terrorism Per Year in Western Europe 1970-2015 (Datagraver)
- A map showing the threat level of terrorism around the world (indy100)
New at Mode
Romy Macasieb, product manager at Walker and Company, chatted with us about the process of defining metrics and staying data-informed without a data scientist.