Abstract #301020

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JSM 2002 Abstract #301020
Activity Number: 99
Type: Topic Contributed
Date/Time: Monday, August 12, 2002 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education*
Abstract - #301020
Title: People Count: The Social Construction of Statistics
Author(s): Joel Best*+
Affiliation(s): University of Delaware
Address: 322 Smith Hall, Newark, Delaware, 19716-2580, USA
Keywords: social construction ; social statistics ; statistical education
Abstract:

Social statistics often play a key role in discussions of social issues. Estimates for the extent of social problems and other similar figures tend to be treated as objective, factual, indisputable evidence. This assumption ignores the social processes involved in the creation and dissemination of these numbers--processes that are often glossed over in statistics courses. Statistical education ought to foster critical thinking about the social construction of statistics.

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Revised March 2002