Shocking Statistic

Dr. Gass

HCOM 235

Spring 2009

Extra Credit Assignment

“Shocking” Statistic

This assignment is worth a maximum of 3 extra point= s on the next exam. We often read or hear shocking statistics in news media. How much confidence can one place = in such startling statistics? Ar= e they accurate? Can they be trusted= ? Your task is to write a 1-2 page p= aper in which you do the following:

1. Locate a statistic on a controversial public policy= issue in the popular media. The sta= tistic may be reflected in a number, a percentage, or an average. Some possible issues are:

The number of innocent pers= ons who have been executed in the United States

The number of illegal aliens/undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S.

The number of unreported ca= ses of rape and/or date rape in the U.S. annually

The number of civilians kil= led in the war in Iraq

The street value of illegal= drugs smuggled into the Un= ited States each year

The number of slaves or cas= es of human trafficking in the world

The amount of illegal sports wagering in the U.S.= per year

High school graduation rate= s in the state of California

The number of priest molest= ation cases in the last two or three decades

The dollar value of lost CD= sales due to illegal music downloading

The number of children kill= ed each year by handgun accidents

The number of children in t= he U.S. wh= o are obese

The probability of intellig= ent life elsewhere in the universe

2. Examine and report on any information included with= the statistic. Is the statistic “homemade”? Is the statistic “knowable”? Is a specific source cited? Is the margin of error stated? Is there information on the underlying basis or methodology for the statistic, e.g., how was the number was arrived at?

3. Look up qualified, expert sources on the top= ic or issue. Expertise varies from = field to field, but examples would be recognized scholars and researchers, experts who’ve won awards in their fields, and sources who are frequently cit= ed by peers in their field. Avoid biased sources. What methodological concerns= do the experts identify regarding the accuracy of published estimates?

4. Provide an overall assessment: Considering all the available evidence, what is the most accurate statistic available on the to= pic or issue in question?

Caveats: Make sure you’ve selected a social controversy. Estimates of= the amount of sugar consumed per capita or the number of times the average pers= on blinks per minute aren’t necessarily controversial.

You are welcome to stop by my office to see sample pap= ers from previous classes.