The Political Orphanage

How to Spot Statistical Garbage

Jul 26, 2023
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ANECDOTE

Ice Cream & Crime

  • Andrew Heaton uses a humorous example of ice cream and crime in Texas.
  • Both increase during summer, but they correlate with heat, not each other.
ANECDOTE

Berkeley Admissions

  • In 1973, Berkeley was sued for admitting 44% of male applicants vs 35% of females.
  • A statistician found that women applied to programs with lower acceptance rates (Simpson's Paradox).
ANECDOTE

Immigrant Welfare

  • A think tank claimed most immigrant households use welfare, framing data by family, not individual.
  • This manipulation made immigrants look bad, as individual data showed they use less welfare.
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