How to read and critique statistics reported in the news, including margin of error and sample size concerns.
30 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What does margin of error tell you in a news poll?
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It shows the range around the reported percentage where the true value likely falls.- How does sample size affect margin of error?
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Larger sample sizes produce smaller margins of error.- What is a confidence level in polling?
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The probability that the true value falls within the margin of error range, usually 95 percent.- Define correlation as reported in news.
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A statistical relationship between two variables; does not prove one causes the other.- What is the key difference between correlation and causation?
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Correlation shows two things move together; causation means one directly causes the other.- What is a confounding variable?
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A third variable that affects both variables being studied, creating a false appearance of correlation.- Explain what statistically significant means.
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A result unlikely to occur by chance alone (usually p less than 0.05), but not necessarily important in practice.- How do leading questions affect survey results?
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They bias respondents toward a particular answer by how they are worded.- What is the base rate fallacy?
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Ignoring how common something is in the population when interpreting new statistical information.- What does regression to the mean explain?
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Extreme measurements tend to be closer to average on a second measurement, not due to treatment effects.- Define p-value in simple terms.
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The probability of seeing data this extreme or more extreme if the null hypothesis were true.- What is survivorship bias in statistical reporting?
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Only seeing successful cases while overlooking failed ones, creating misleading conclusions.- How can effect size differ from statistical significance?
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A result can be statistically significant but have such a small effect size it is not practically important.- What is the Texas sharpshooter fallacy?
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Drawing a target around existing data points and then claiming a pattern.- Explain Simpson's paradox.
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A trend present in separate groups can reverse when groups are combined.
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