StatLit Papers
05/04/08

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STATISTICAL LITERACY PAPERS

New Listing: Including Construction in Quantitative Literacy by Joel Best  2007 MSS

These web-accessible articles are relevant to the teaching of statistical literacy. They consider fundamental questions in statistical education that involve observational data (rather than random assignment in experiments) to argue for causal connections using statistical associations.

"a clear understanding ... of statistical issues in observational data is needed for statistical practice in the real world."  Stroup et al,

Teaching Statistical Principles Using Epidemiology..., The American Statistician, Feb 2004. P. 77.

 

New Listings in 2008 (By month added)

02  Expectations for Statistical Literacy: A Survey Of College Faculty by David Kriska (Walden U.), Mark Fulcomer (Stockton) & Marcia Sass (UMD-NJ)  2007 ASA

01  Including Construction in Quantitative Literacy by Joel Best  2007 MSS

 

New Listings in 2007 (By month added)

12  Building Statistical Literacy Assessment Tools with the IASE ISLP by Juana Sanchez.  2007 IASE

11  Assess Statistical Literacy by Stephanie Budgett and Maxine Pfannkuch.  2007 IASE

10  Numbers in the News: A Survey.  Milo Schield (Augsburg College) and Cynthia Schield (Former co-publisher of the Napa County Record)

09  Grammar of Statements Involving "Chance".  Milo Schield (Augsburg College) and Tom Burnham (Cognitive Consulting)

08  Prevarication: Mutual Fund Studies that Distort Investor's Perceptions.  Marshall Schield, President STIR Research (Durango, CO)

06  Quantitative Literacy and School Mathematics: Percentages and Fractions, by Milo Schield, 2007 Wingspread Conference

05  Statistical Literacy: Factual Assessment to Support Hypothetical Thinking by Milo Schield, 2007 IASE Satellite Conference, Portugal

04  What do M&M's, dahlias, soil erosion and data analysis across the curriculum have in common? by Jerry Moreno, 2006 ASA

03  Teaching the Social Construction of Statistics by Milo Schield, 2007 Midwest Sociological Society, Chicago  Slides 4up

02  Expectations for Statistical Literacy: A Comparison among Professions by Kriska, Fulcomer and Sass.  2006 ASA

01  Pedagogical Challenges of Quantitative Literacy by Bernie Madison, President of NNN,  2006 ASA

 

New Listings in 2006 (By month added)

12  Quirks of Rhetoric: a Quantitative Analysis of Quantitative Reasoning in Student Writing by Neil Lutsky, 2006 ASA

11  News-based Learning and Statistics by Wing K. Fung and Philip L. H. Yu,  2006 ICOTS

10  Percentage Graphs in USA Today Snapshots Online by Schield,  2006 ASA    Slides: 6up

09  Enhancing Statistical Literacy: Enriching Our Society by Katherine Wallman, 1992 Presidential Address, JASA 1993

09  Developing a Compulsory University-wide Statistical Literacy Program by Helen Carter and Catherine Milne 2000  Abstract  Conference

08  How did Teaching Introductory Statistics get to be so Complicated ?!? [slides] Roxy Peck, USCOTS 2005  6up 1up

06  Presenting Confounding Graphically Using Standardization by Milo Schield 2006 Draft for Stats magazine

05  Statistical Literacy Workshop Using a web-based Learning Object by Milo Schield 2006 IASSIST Workshop  Feedback

05  Introduction to an Online Ratio Statement Validator, Burnham and Schield, 2006 IASSIST Workshop

02  Exploring Simpson's Paradox by Larry Lesser NCTM 2001

01  Statistical Literacy Survey Analysis by Milo Schield 2006 ICOTS-7.   6up Slides.

01  Statistical Literacy Survey Results by Milo Schield 2006 IASSIST.


International Statistical Literacy Project (International Association of Statistical Educators)

Leaders

Enhancing Statistical Literacy: Enriching Our Society by Katherine Wallman, 1992 Presidential Address, JASA 1993

The First R -- For Reasoning by Anne Hawkins (Past Director of the RSS Centre for Statistical Education) 1997

Teaching Statistical Literacy by Dennis Haack in Teaching Statistics, Vol. 1.3, pp 74-76

A Note on Teaching Statistical Literacy by Dennis Haack in Teaching Statistics, Vol. 2.1, pp 22-23

David S. Moore (Past President of the American Statistical Association)

Statistics and Sound Bites: Statistical Literacy and the Internet  1999 US Bureau of the Census

Statistics Among the Liberal Arts  1998 ASA Presidential Address  JASA

Statistical Literacy and Statistical Competence in the 21st Century  1997 ASA JSM (slides)

Statistical Literacy and Statistical Competence in the 21st Century  1998 MSMESB Conference (Abstract)

Statistical Literacy and Statistical Competence in the New Century  2001 IASE Korea (slides)

Lynn Steen (Past President of Mathematics Association of America)

Quantitative Literacy: Why Numeracy Matters for Schools and Colleges. MAA Online

Quantitative Literacy. 2002 Focus, Newsletter of MAA, Feb 2002, Volume 22, #2, pp. 8-9

Reflections on Quantitative Literacy. 2001 PKAL

The New Literacy in "Why Numbers Count"

Why Numbers Count: Quantitative Literacy for Tomorrow's America. MAA 1998

Bernie Madison (Founder of the National Numeracy Network, Past-President of the National Council of Education and the Disciplines)

Evolution of Numeracy and the National Numeracy Network by Bernard L. Madison and Lynn Arthur Steen, Numeracy, Vol. 1 (2008), Issue 1, Article 2.
Abstract:
The National Numeracy Network grew from heightened awareness of the complex and sophisticated nature of quantitative literacy and the resulting need for interdisciplinary attention to education for quantitative literacy in schools and colleges. This complexity and sophistication applies especially to the US where it is fueled by an agile economy and the needs of a democratic society. This paper describes the environment surrounding the National Numeracy Network’s establishment, some of its activities, and some complementary and synergistic actions by other professional societies. The paper concludes with a sample of quantitative literacy programs in colleges and universities

Pedagogical Challenges of Quantitative Literacy.  2006 ASA.  Slides 6up

Building Bridges for QL: NNN & SIGMAA QL. MAA News May 2005

What is a Course in QL?   2005 NNN Newsletter

News Math Course Description and Procedures 2005 Univ. Arkansas.  Posted on NNN website.

Quantitative Literacy Based on presentation at 2005 MAA QL SIG

Important Math Concepts for Numeracy Based on presentation at 2005 MAA

Educating for Numeracy. 2002 Notices of the American Mathematical Society

Richard Scheaffer (Past-President of the American Statistical Association in 2001)

Statistics and Quantitative Literacy from "QL: Why Numeracy Matters for Schools and Colleges"  2003 MAA Online.  Also

Quantitative Literacy and Statistics. 2001 AmStat News, Nov. 293, President's Column

Joel Best (University of Delaware): Author of "Damned Lies and Statistics" and "More Damned Lies and Statistics."

Birds -- Dead and Deadly: Why Quantitative Literacy needs to Address Social Construction  2008 Numeracy, Volume 1. Issue 1, Article 6.

Including Construction in Quantitative Literacy  2007 Midwest Sociology Society (MSS)

People Count: The Social Construction of Statistics  8/2002 ASA JSM

People Count: The Social Construction of Statistics  11/2002 Talk at Augsburg College

Although similar, the latter focuses more on the future of Statistical Literacy.

Peter Holmes (Sr. Researcher, RSS Centre for Statistical Education, Nottingham Trent Univ.)

Statistical Literacy, Numeracy and the Future. Talk at Augsburg College 31 March 2003

Statistical Needs of Non-Specialists Young Workers. RSS Centre (1981)

Iddo Gal (former co-director of the Numeracy Project at the National Center for Adult Literacy)

Preparing for Diversity in Statistical Literacy  by Scott Murray and Iddo Gal, ICOTS-6 2006

Big Picture: What does 'Numeracy" Mean?  GED Items published by the Educational Testing Service

Functional demands of Statistical Literacy: Ability to read press releases from statistical agencies  IASE Berlin 2003

Expanding Conceptions of Statistical Literacy: Analysis of Products from Statistical Agencies, Statistics Educ. Research Jrnl,  2(1) 2003

Gal, I. (2002). Dispositional aspects of coping with interpretive numeracy tasks. Literacy and Numeracy Studies, 11(2), 47-61.

  • Adults’ Statistical Literacy: Meaning Components & ResponsibilitiesInternational Statistical Review, Vol. 70, #1, April 2002, pp 1-25 "This paper concerns itself with people's ability to act as effective "data consumers" in diverse life contexts that for brevity are termed here Reading contexts.   Reading contexts should be distinguished from enquiry context where people (e.g., students, statisticians) engage in empirical investigation of actual data."  This article proposes a conceptualization of statistical literacy and describes its key components including the ability to interpret, critically evaluate, and communicate about statistical information and messages. Despite its title, this article is very relevant to statistical literacy at all levels. “It is argued that statistically literate behavior is predicated on the joint activation of five interrelated knowledge bases (literacy, statistical, mathematical, context, and critical), together with a cluster of supporting dispositions and enabling beliefs.  Educational and research implications are discussed, and responsibilities facing educators, statisticians, and other stakeholders are outlined.” (p. 1 of article). Note: Because of the importance of this article to the International Statistical Literacy Project, the ISI Permanent Office and the author have given permission to have a copy of the article available.

The Numeracy Challenge in Adult Numeracy Development Theory, Research and Practice,  pp 1-25. 2000

Gal, I. (2000). The numeracy challenge. In I. Gal (Ed.), Adult numeracy development: Theory, research, practice (pp. 9-31).

Numeracy Assessment Framework for Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey by Gal et al, National Center Educational Statistics,1999

Monitoring Attitudes and Beliefs in Statistics Education by Gal, Ginsburg & Schau, Assessment Challenge in Stats Education 37-54 1997

Gal, I. (1999). Links between literacy and numeracy. In D. A. Wagner, B. Street, & R. L. Venezky (Eds.), Literacy: An international handbook (pp. 227-231). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Gal, I., & Baron, J. (1996). Understanding repeated simple choices. Thinking and Reasoning, 2(1), 1-18.

Gal, I., Ginsburg, L., & Schau, C. (1997). Monitoring attitudes and beliefs in statistics education. In I. Gal & J. B. Garfield (Eds.), The assessment challenge in statistics education (pp. 37-51). Amsterdam: IOS Press.

Gal, I., Mahoney, P., & Moore, S. (1992). Children's use of statistical terms. In W. Geeslin & Graham K. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th annual meeting of the International Group for Psychology in Mathematics Education (Vol. 3, p. 160). Durham, New Hampshire.

Jane Watson (author of Statistical Literacy at School Awards

Statistical Literacy in Middle Schools. Jane Watson  ICOTS  2006

Measuring Statistical Literacy  (Abstract) Rosemary Callingham and Jane Watson 2005  Journal of Applied Measurement.

Statistical Literacy: From Idiosyncratic to Critical Thinking. Watson & Callingham. 2004 IASE Roundtable, 47 pages [6 levels]

The Measurement of Student's Understanding of Statistical Variation. (Abstract) Watson, Kelley, Callingham & Shaughnessy 2004

Is Statistical Literacy Relevant for Middle School?  Jane Watson  2004

The Vocabulary of Statistical Literacy.  Jane Watson and Ben Kelley  AARE 2003

Statistical Literacy: A complex hierarchical concept   Jane Watson and Rosemary Callingham  SERJ 2003 [Six levels]

Statistical Literacy at the School Level: What Should Students Know and Do?  Jane Watson  IASE 2003

Development of Understanding of sampling for statistical literacy Watson and Moritz  Jrnl. of Mathematical Behavior 2000

The Beginning of Statistical inference: Comparing Two Data Sets (Abstract) Watson and Moritz   Educational Studies in Math 1998

Assessing statistical literacy through the use of media surveys  Jane Watson ICOTS 1998

The Need for Statistical Literacy in Australia  by Jane Watson Science News 1997

The role of statistical literacy in decisions about risk: Where to start in For the Learning of Mathematics, 18(3), 25-27.  1998

Assessing statistical literacy using the media in Gal & Garfield (Eds.) The Assessment Challenge in Stat Education (pp. 107-121). 1997

Statistical literacy: A link between mathematics and society in A. Richards, G. Gillman, K. Milton, & J. Oliver (Eds.), Flair: Forging links and integrating resources (Proceedings of the 15th Biennial Conference of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers Inc., pp. 12-28). Adelaide, SA: AAMT, Inc.  [1995 Hanna Neumann Memorial Lecture]. 

Conditional probability: Its place in the mathematics curriculum. Mathematics Teacher, 88, 12-17.  1995

OTHER (1995 and prior)

A model for assessing higher order thinking in statistics

Cautionary Tales: A Collection of Mathematical Essays for Teachers

Children's understanding of luck

Developmental structure in the understanding of common and decimal fractions

Probability and statistics: An overview

Professional Development in Mathematics for Teachers - Who, What, Why and How

Teacher attitudes towards chance and data

The developments of concepts associated with sampling in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9

Visual Processing During Mathematical Problem Solving

What's in a graph?

Jerry Moreno (John Carroll University)

What do M&M's, dahlias, soil erosion and data analysis across the curriculum have in common?. 2006 ASA

What defines a "Statistically Literate" citizen. 2005 USCOTS

Concepts and Methods in One Intro Stats Course. 2004 ASA

Toward a Statistically Literate Citizenry: What Statistics Everyone Should Know. ICOTS-6 2002

Statistical Literacy -- Statistics Long After School. ICOTS-5 1997

Deborah Rumsey (Ohio State University)

“Statistical Literacy: Implications for Teaching, Research, and Practice,” 2002 International Statistical Review, 70, 32–36.

Statistical Literacy as a Goal for Introductory Statistics Courses,” Journal of Statistics Education, 2002.  10(3)

Milo Schield, Director of the W. M. Keck Statistical Literacy Project

Statistical Literacy: An overview:

Statistical Literacy: More Detail

Statistical Literacy: Teaching

Statistical Literacy Applications

Statistical Literacy and Confounding:

Statistical Literacy Curriculum

Statistical Literacy Survey

Statistical Literacy: Describing and Comparing Ratios using Rates, Percentages and Chance

Web-based Learning Object to help students use ordinary English correctly to describe and compare ratios:

Algebra of Association, Spuriousity and Reversal (Schield & Burnham):

Statistical Literacy, Chance and Inferential Statistics:

Statistical Literacy Posters and Brochures

  • "Statistical Literacy is to Statistics" as "Art Appreciation is to Art" Poster 2006 ICOTS
    Letter Size Portrait: PDF or JPG.   Poster Size Portrait: PDF or JPG.   Poster Size Landscape: PDF or JPG.
  • Statistical Literacy for Humanities Majors brochure 2007 Augsburg Humanities Departments

Talks with PowerPoint Slides Only:

  • Bayes' Comparisons 1/2008 StatChat, Macalester College (St. Paul, MN) 6up  1up.
  • Civic Engagement: Numbers in the News  10/2007 AACU Conference on Studies, Denver CO 6up
  • Quantitative Literacy Core Concepts  10/2007 Carleton QUIRK Project 6up
  • Teaching Statistical Literacy  4/2007 National Numeracy Panel, Midwest Sociological Society Chicago 6up
  • Statistical Literacy: An Introduction. 8/2006 Univ. Connecticut 6up   1up
  • Statistical Literacy for Majors without Math Requirements. 3/2006 Univ. Wisconsin QL Conference 6up   1up
  • Mathematics of Association in Quantitative Literacy. 1/2006 MAA 6up
  • Statistical Literacy: Errors Reading Graphs. 12/2005 Kansas City Actuarial Club 6up
  • Statistical Literacy and Critical Thinking, 7/2005 TOC Summer Seminar at Union College 6up
  • Statistical Literacy and Epidemiological Reasoning, 7/2005 TOC Summer Seminar at Union College 1up 6up
  • Quantitative Literacy: Core Concepts, 6/2005 MAA QL Workshop at Macalester College  6up  1Up Notes
  • 2002 Statistical Literacy Survey, 5/2003 IASSIST Conference.  Slides 1up 6up
  • Statistical Literacy at Augsburg, March 2003 Project Status.  Slides 1up, 6up
  • The Grenada Conjectures: The Future of Statistical Education.   University of Grenada 1/2001. Slides 1up  6up

W. M. Keck Statistical Literacy Project at Augsburg College (2001-2005):


ASA Statistical Literacy Sessions (1998 - 2007). Organized by Milo Schield

2007 Statistical Literacy (Salt Lake City, UT). Chair: Paul J. Fields

Statistics for Innumerate Journalists.   Stephen Doig, Walter Cronkite Professor of Journalism. (Univ. Arizona) Slides 4up

Quantitative Reasoning: An Activity-Based Course. Kay Somers (Moravian College)   6up

Prevarication: Mutual Fund Studies that Distort Investor's Perceptions. Marshall Schield, President STIR Research (Durango, CO) 6up 1up

Grammar of Statements Involving "Chance". Milo Schield (Augsburg) and Tom Burnham (Cognitive Consulting) 6up

Numbers in the News: A Survey.   Milo Schield (Augsburg) & Cynthia Schield (Former co-publisher of the Napa County Record) 6up, 1up, Data

2006 Statistical and Quantitative Literacy (Seattle, WA)

Pedagogical Challenges of Quantitative Literacy.   Bernie Madison, President of the National Numeracy Network. Slides 6up

Increasing Quantitative Literacy through the Mathematics across the Community College Curriculum Project.

Rebecca Hartzler (Seattle Community College) and Kim Rheinlander (Dartmouth).  6up

Quirks of Rhetoric: a Quantitative Analysis of Quantitative Reasoning in Student Writing. Neil Lutsky  (Carleton College)

Common Misconceptions in Statistical Literacy. Marc Isaacson (Augsburg College)   6up

Percentage Charts in USA Today Snapshots Online.   Milo Schield (Augsburg College)  Print version6up

2005 Statistical Literacy (Minneapolis, MN). Chair: Milo Schield

What Can 'CSI' Teach Us about Statistical Literacy  Jane Miller (Rutgers University)

Epidemiology for Teaching Statistics  Chris Olsen (Cedar Rapids Iowa schools)

Toys, Tales and a Journalist's View of Statistics  Lewis Cope (co-author of News and Numbers)

Statistical Literacy: An Online Course at Capella University  Marc Isaacson (Augsburg College)

On-line Ratio Statement Validator, Burnham and Schield,  Slides 6up 1up

Statistical Literacy and Chance, Milo Schield (Augsburg College) Slides 6up  1up

2004 Statistical Literacy (Toronto, Canada)

Teaching Statistical Principles using Epidemiology,  Donna Stroup (CDC)

Planning a Statistical Literacy Course  Robert Hayden (Plymouth State University)

Statistics for Political Science Majors  Gary Klass (Illinois State University)

Confounder-Resistance and Confounder Intervals for a Binary Confounder, Schield & Burnham Slides 1up 6up

Reviewer  Brian Jersky  ASA 2004

2003 Statistical Literacy (San Francisco, CA)

Understanding Scientific Reasoning, Ronald Giere (U. Mn) & Leslie Burkholder (Canada)

Journalism, Computer Assisted Reporting and Statistical Literacy, Brant Huston (Director IRE: Investigative Reporters and Editors)

Subjective Statistical Inference Based On Pure Associations  Robyn M. Dawes (Carnegie Mellon)

Review of Statistical Literacy Course Design at Augsburg: 2002-2003  Julie Naylor & Bill Jasperson  (Augsburg)

Confounder-Induced Spuriosity and Reversal: Algebraic Conditions for Binary Data, Schield & Burnham Slides 1Up 6Up

2002 Statistical Literacy (New York City, NY)

Using Quantitative Data to Study Social Phenomena: Some Ignored Issues  Stanley Lieberson (Harvard)

People Count: The Social Construction of Statistics   Joel Best (University of Delaware)

Bag of Tricks for Teaching Statistics, Andrew Gelman (Colombia)

The Mission of STATS,  S. Robert Lichter, President of STATS  (Presented by Ian Murray)

Algebraic Relationships in 2x2 Tables, Schield & Burnham Original ASA-published versionUpdated version  [Original is not original]

2001 Statistical Literacy (Atlanta, GA)

The Tyranny of Numbers,  Nicholas Eberstadt (AEI: American Enterprise Institute)

More Guns; Less Crime.  John Lott (University of Chicago and Yale)

Student-Centered Education,  Deborah Rumsey (University of Ohio)

A Post-Modern View of Statistical Education,  Gudmund Iversen (Swarthmore College)

Statistical Literacy: Reading Tables of Rates and Percentages, Milo Schield (Augsburg College)  Jenkins Appendix version

2000 Statistical Literacy (Indianapolis, IN)

Thinking Big About Statistics.    John Bailar III (Univ. Chicago)

Cross-Level Inference as an Identification Problem.   W. Phillips Shively (Univ. Minnesota)

A Case Story in the Teaching of Observational Studies.   Chamont (Wei-hong) Wang (College of New Jersey)

A First Year Interdisciplinary QR Course: A Pre-Statistics Course  Jabon and Narasimhan (De Paul U)

Teaching Statistics For Use In Epidemiology  Joe H. Abramson (Hebrew University)

Statistical Literacy: Describing and Comparing Rates and Percentages Milo Schield (Augsburg College)

1999 Critical Thinking in Observational Studies (Baltimore, MD)

How to Help Reporters Tell The Truth  Victor Cohen (Former Washington Post Science editor)

Population Growth and Propensity: Complex Observational Studies.   Thomas Wonnacott (Canada)

Teaching Causal Inference in Experiments and Observational Studies  Donald Rubin (Harvard)

Simpson's Paradox and Cornfield's Conditions, Milo Schield (Augsburg College)

Discussant/Reviewer: Gudmund Iversen

1998 New Directions in Introductory Statistics (Dallas, TX)

Statistics for First Year Liberal Arts Students  Gary Smith (Pomona College)

Educating Everyone: Statistical Methods and Statistical Literacy.  Jessica Utts (U. California, Davis)

* Teaching Statistics Without Formulas.  Gudmund Iversen (Swarthmore)

Eight Features of an Ideal Introductory Statistics Course.  Donald Macnaughton (Toronto)

Statistical Literacy and Evidential Statistics, Milo Schield (Augsburg College)

* Hard copy available


Donna Stroup, Richard Goodman, Ralph Cordell and Richard Scheaffer

Teaching Statistical Principles Using Epidemiology. The American Statistician

2004 (Pay Access) From Abstract:  "we argue that epidemiology, the scientific basis for public health, provides a useful and motivating context for teaching statistical principles and methods and suggest that examples from this and other public health sciences be used in the teaching of mathematics and science courses in high school and college."

Related papers involving "Statistical Literacy":

Organizing Data in Tables and Charts: Different Criteria for Different Tasks.   Jane Miller,  Teaching Statistics (Fall, 2007)

Briggs' QL/QR Site  William Briggs, co-author of Statistical Reasoning for Life

How did Teaching Introductory Statistics get to be so Complicated ?!?  Roxy Peck, USCOTS 2005  1upWeb

Data Aggregation and Simpson's Paradox in Index Numbers  (Fee) Stan Lipovetsky & Micheal Conklin, Eur. J. of Op. Res., 172#1.  2004

Three Paradoxes  Howard Wainer, Nat. Bd of Medical Examiners.  Draft of Paper for The American Statistician 2004

Statistical Literacy -- A Kind of Numeracy by Laszlo Holka (Hungarian Central Statistical Office)

Introductory Statistics Teaching at UCLA: Overview and Proposal by Jan De Leuw and Donald Ylvisaker

Developing a Compulsory University-wide Statistical Literacy Program by Helen Carter and Catherine Milne 2000  Abstract  Conference

Teaching Statistical Literacy  by Patricia B. Cerrito 1999

Epidemiology Faces Its Limits (copy) by Gary Taubes: Science (1995: 269. pp 164-169).  [Not archived at www.ScienceMag.org] 

Instructional Design and the Development of Statistical Literacy  Kenneth Bessant in Teaching Sociology, April 1992

Related papers at ASA JSM 2007:

Expectations for Statistical Literacy: A Survey Of College Faculty by David Kriska (Walden U.), Mark Fulcomer (Stockton) & Marcia Sass (UMD-NJ),  2007 ASA

Students’ Reasoning about Summary Measures from Histograms and Stem-and-Leaf Plots by Linda Cooper and Felice Shore (Towson University), 2007 ASA

Related papers at IASE 2007:

Assess Statistical Literacy by Stephanie Budgett and Maxine Pfannkuch.  2007 IASE

Building Statistical Literacy Assessment Tools with the IASE ISLP by Juana Sanchez.  2007 IASE

Designing Open Questions for the Assessment of Conceptual Understanding by Nick Broers.  2007 IASE

Embedding Statistical Assessment within Cross-Curricular Materials by Jim Ridgway, James Nicholson and Sean McCusker 2007 IASE

Assessing Understanding of the Concept of Interaction in Analysis of Variance by Kathy Green 2007 IASE

Using Peer Assessment of Project Presentations to Develop Skills as Consumers of Statistical Information by Michelle Sisto. 2007 IASE

Doing Statistics versus Understanding Statistics by Christine Duller 2007 IASE/ISI

Related papers at ASA JSM 2006:

Expectations for Statistical Literacy: A Comparison among Professions by Kriska, Fulcomer and Sass.  2006 ASA

Related papers at ASA JSM 2005:

Matching with Multiple Control Groups, and Adjusting for Group Differences by Rubin and Stuart 2005 ASA

Direct and Indirect Effects by Judea Pearl 2005 ASA

Comments on the Papers Presented in the Session on Causal Inference with Problematic Control Groups by Gastwirth 2005 ASA

Critical Values: Connecting Ethics, Service Learning and Social Justice to Life Our World by Lesser 2005 ASA

Reflections on Training, Experience and Introductory Statistics: A Mini Survey of Tertiary Level Statistics Instructors Hassad 2005 ASA

Examining the Introductory Statistics Course for Business and Economics Through Its Textbooks by McKenzie 2005 ASA

Related papers at USCOTS 2005:

Are We Teaching the Right Material in Introductory Statistics? by Jerry Reiter.  2005 USCOTS

What defines a "Statistically Literate" citizen? by Jerry Moreno.  2005 USCOTS

Statistics in the News by E. Jacquelin Dietz.  2005 USCOTS

Related papers at ISI 55 (2005):

UIS: Measuring Statistical Literacy by Denise Lievesley, 2005 ISI

Statistics for Life: What Statistical Ideas Matter Most and Why? by Nick Fisher, 2005 ISI

Assessing statistical literacy in graduate level statistics education by Enriqueta D. Reston, 2005 ISI

Numeracy Counts in the Statistical Reasoning Equation by Therese Wilson and Helen MacGillivray, 2005 ISI

Non-specialist Users and their Information Needs: Exploratory study at US Bureau of Labor Statistics by Iddo Gal & John Bosley, 2005 ISI

The Role of Official Statistics Agencies in the Promotion of Statistical Literacy Among Students by Fredrick W H Ho, 2005 ISI

Related papers at ASA JSM 2004:

Trashball: A Logistic Regression Classroom Activity by Christopher Morell and Richard Auer, ASA 2004

Using Journal Articles in Introductory Statistics by John Turner ASA 2004

History of Science and Statistical Education: Examples from Fisherian and Pearsonian schools by Chung Ho Yu (Alex) Arizona State, ASA 2004

 Related papers at ASA JSM 2003:

Student Attitudes: The Other Important Outcome in Statistical Education by Candace Schau ASA 2003

Some Difficulties Learning Histograms by Carl Lee and Maria Meletiou-Mavrotheris ASA 2003

Teaching Introductory Statistics in the Social & Behavioral Sciences by Hassad ASA 2003

Restructuring Introductory Courses at Penn State  by Harkness, Buchanan, Heckard and Rosenberger ASA 2003

Related papers at IASE 2001:

Statistical Literacy and Statistical Competence in the New Century by David Moore IASE 2001 Slides

Statistics Literacy by Brian Phillips IASE 2001 Slides

Related papers at ISI 2001:

Statistical Dead Heat and the Mass Media  Douglas Lonnstrom (Siena College in Loudonville NY), 2001 ISI

Introductory Statistics Courses for Non-Statistics Majors at Colleges and Universities by P. K. Ito,  2001 ISI.

Larry Lesser

Donald Macnaughton (MatStat Research Consulting, Toronto Canada)

Statistical Literacy and Reasoning: American Educational Research Association, April, 2000

Bayesian Statistics:

Dean Brooks, President of Ekaros.

Edward Tufte

Statistical Literacy Programs or Ideas


WEB SOURCES ON CHANCE AND DATA ANALYSIS:

BOOKS

ORGANIZATIONS:

International Association for Statistical Education

Woodrow Wilson Foundation, National Council on Education, Quantitative Literacy

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)

Mathematics Association of America (MAA)

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

International Statistical Institute (ISI)    International Statistical Review (ISR)

CONFERENCES


JOURNALS

Statistical Education Research Journal (IASE)

The American Statistician (TAS)

2003, Vol. 57 #2

  • Statistical Literacy: How You Can Help  by Jessica Utts.   Abstract 

    Excerpts: "To me, statistical literacy has been achieved when someone not only understands a news story about a statistical study, but also knows what additional information about the study is needed before a wise decision can be made. And ultimately, the goal of achieving statistical literacy is to be able to make wise decisions when appropriate information is provided."

  • What Educated Citizens Should Know About Statistics and Probability  by Jessica Utts  Abstract 

    Excerpts: "There are of course many important topics that need to be discussed in an elementary statistics course. For this article, I have selected seven topics that I have found to be commonly misunderstood by citizens, including the journalists who present statistical studies to the public." "1. When it can be concluded that a relationship is one of cause and effect, and when it cannot, including the difference between randomized experiments and observational studies.  2. The difference between statistical significance and practical importance, especially when using large sample sizes. 3. The difference between  finding “no effect” or “no difference” and finding no statistically significant effect or difference, especially when using small  sample sizes.  4. Common sources of bias in surveys and experiments, such as poor wording of questions, volunteer response, and socially desirable answers.  5. The idea that coincidences and seemingly very improbable events are not uncommon because there are so many possibilities. 6. “Confusion of the inverse” in which a conditional probability in one direction is confused with the conditional probability in the other direction. 7. Understanding that variability is natural, and that 'normal' is not the same as 'average.'"

  • Teaching for Statistical Literacy and Services of Statistical Agencies by Iddo Gal  Abstract:  Increasing attention is given to the importance of developing statistical literacy of citizens and students. This article examines approaches to teaching for statistical literacy and identifies areas that need attention, in light of limitations on skill transfer and reliance on exemplars that illustrate problematic reports in the media. The article discusses the potential role of products of statistics agencies in education for statistical literacy. Implications for needed collaboration between educators and statistics agencies and for research are examined. Excerpts:  "For instance, in a survey of more than 240 instructors of introductory statistics (Garfield 2000) less than 25% said they “frequently used” discussions of statistics in the media, and roughly half indicated they never ask students to critique news articles in classroom assessments. It seems that many instructors neither teach for statistical literacy nor assess it."  Discussion: "First, it is difficult to expect students to develop statistical literacy through instruction on general principles of statistics and personal experience in data analysis, due to limitations on skill transfer, lack of familiarity with critical questions, and inattention to dispositions that support statistically literate behavior. Second, it is difficult to expect students to develop full statistical literacy through instruction that presents only negative examples for statistical reports, that is based only on brief media reports, and that does not provide models for effective or fair statistical reporting."

  • The Getting of Wisdom: Educating Statisticians to Enhance their Clients Numeracy  by Eric Sowey Abstract  Excerpts: "Neglect of numeracy is becoming steadily more unsupportable, particularly in a democratic society." "Enhancing statistical literacy is today a pressing issue."  "It is my impression, however, that even in developed societies formal teaching aimed expressly at enhancing statistical literacy is still a fledgling enterprise, offered only in scattered locations and to relatively few people."

1998, Vol. 52

  • Student Projects on Statistical Literacy and the Media by Gelman and Nolan with Bautista, Men and Warmerdam.   Articles
    Introduction:
    An important theme in an introductory statistics course is the connection between statistics and the outside world. This article describes some assignments that have been useful in getting students to learn how to gather and process information presented in the newspaper articles and scientific reports they read. We discuss two related assignments. For the first kind of assignment, students work through prepared instructional packets. Each packet contains a newspaper article that reports on a scientific study or statistical analysis, the original report on which the article was based, a worksheet with guidelines for summarizing the reported study, and a series of questions. In the second kind of assignment, each student is required to find a newspaper article themselves, track down the original report, summarize the study using our guidelines, and write a critique of the article. Here, we describe the guidelines we developed to help the student in reading the newspaper article and original source, and the procedures we used for each type of assignment. Examples of handouts and assignments appear as appendixes.

ASA Journal of Statistical Education (JSE)

JSE 2004 #10

JSE 2002 #10