This topic on numbers is one that I always find really interesting and that is probably because there are different perspectives that can be taken. The podcast started talking about different examples where numbers can be misrepresented. The perspective of understanding how others report the data is something I have never really thought of as I always would look at how to understand and interpret provided. The fact that topic and presentation is key when coming to numbers, you need to also look at the bigger picture. By this I mean that many will truly believe the statistics without having a holistic perspective. There are many companies that have data that they use to their advantage even when the numbers are the best as the key element is how they share the information with their consumers and the public.
When it comes to collecting data, there are a lot of factors that play a role. The group represented or where data is collected on can be bias which is why many studies will use a random sample. Random sample can prevent bias and also provide more accurate results. The accuracy of information and data gather also comes from multiple studies/ trials. Now once the data is collected, the next step when sharing the data is finding the best way to present it to the public so that the information is appealing and can favor what is trying to be sold or something you try to persuade the public on.
I am currently taking Bstats and we focus on how data is presented and used. And my professor repeatedly states that his goal by the end of the semester is to get us to question the data presented and see if it is actually true through our own curiosity.
The chart I decided to use is pictured below. I think one of the first things I noticed was how Netflix’s bar was so much higher and a different color of course. However, you can see that the chart goes to 80% not 100%. This can create a misconception as most associate it as higher which it is but in other circumstances can deceive the consumer of the numbers with this small minor detail.
I agree that it is misleading the horizontal axis only goes up to 80%. However, some of that is mitigated by them placing the actual percentages within the bars. It provides two reference points for the viewer to understand that 80% of Netflix subscribers exclusively are subscribed to that service.
I took Bstats last semester and must have had a different professor, as there wasn’t a huge emphasis on questioning data presentation. We did, however, do various mini-projects involving the presentation of data. Although it can sometimes be deceptive, my group found that slightly manipulating graphs in our favor made it easier to explain our data. I think the ethics of this vary depending on the circumstance and setting, but there are certainly right and wrong ways to handle it.