Introduction to Statistical Literacy : A Low pain and high gain presentation Garth Homer, 02/11/09

How statistics are constructed How statistics are constructed Statistics Canada How statistics are constructed Survey Master files Survey Master files Analytical studies Research (DLI for survey data)DLI for survey data Scholarly articles ( databases) Popular articles ( newspapers etc.) Aggregated tablesAggregated tables: StaticStatic and dynamicdynamic longitudinal topical

Other Statistical Resources 1.Specific Government departments ( Canadian) 2.National and international statistical agencies 3.Non-Government organizations. 4.Polls and surveys ( in articles and stand alone)

“If if’s and and’s were pots and pans” ( Alice Through the Looking Glass) What questions should I ask myself to decide what statistics I require

The Basics Q1: What are they on about? ___________________________ The Basics Q1: What are they on about? ___________________________ What tells you it is a statistical question? Some examples “How many people in B.C. make more than $60,000” a number: numeric indicator “ I want to know if Cancer was more prevalent now than in the past” a time frame: a trend “How many people will be living in Kelowna in 2012” a future time frame: a projection “Do teenagers drink more in Canada than in Germany? a double variable: a statistical comparison

Q2. What questions should I ask? Variables: ( the bits and pieces of a statistic) What are the most important characteristics of the statistic? The geography the area where your statistics were collected non Canadian, Canadian, provincial, regional, local, urban/rural The human variable (s) demographics. sex: (m) (f) (both) age: (single) (cohort) ethnicity (place of birth, visible minority) status ( immigrant, citizen, prisoner etc.) The domain the subject that applies to your demographic economics/business, health. social, demographics

Q3. If you got what you wanted what would it look like? Format and output are integral to the usefulness of the statistics Options: A report with statistics A report with statistics A printed table A printed table An electronic table ( Excel, B20/20,SPSS,Flat Ascii, HTML) An electronic table ( Excel, B20/20,SPSS,Flat Ascii, HTML) 4. A map.( spatial data) It is important to assess the ability of the output, particularly if it is to be E- Mailed.

Sources: Where do I start?

“ Always start at the beginning”- Alice in Wonderland General search hierarchy 1.OC ResourcesOC Resources 2.Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada Census 3.B.C. StatisticsB.C. Statistics 4.Select Government departments 5.N.G.O. websites

The good and the not so good

OC Catalogue OC Catalogue Gives direct links to difficult sites like the DSP Gives direct links to difficult sites like the DSPDSP Has good subject access Has good subject access Keeps like material together Keeps like material together Easy to use Easy to use Readily accessible Readily accessible

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada The good: The Daily The Daily Definitions, Data Sources and Methods Definitions, Data Sources and Methods Community Profiles Community Profiles The not so good: Difficult search engine Difficult search engine Cluttered site Cluttered site Frequently changing “face” to the site. Frequently changing “face” to the site.

B.C. Statistics B.C. Statistics The best place for B.C Regional, and urban statistics The best place for B.C Regional, and urban statistics Slanted toward Business information. Slanted toward Business information. B.C Stats releases can provide good information B.C Stats releases can provide good information B.C Stats releases can provide good information B.C Stats releases can provide good information A-Z index a useful start point A-Z index a useful start point A-Z index a useful start point A-Z index a useful start point

Some final thoughts Statistics are only a vehicle not an end in themselves. Statistics are only a vehicle not an end in themselves. Using statistics effectively require a knowledge of how they were acquired and how they are accessed. Using statistics effectively require a knowledge of how they were acquired and how they are accessed. Collecting statistics is costly. Only those that have a defined purpose are gathered. Collecting statistics is costly. Only those that have a defined purpose are gathered. Many statistics are never published. Many statistics are never published. Some statistics by their nature are inaccurate. Some statistics by their nature are inaccurate.