On August 6, 2020, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC tweeted Chart: Kansas mask counties versus no-mask mandate counties (Maddow Citation2020, August 6) along with a link to a plot (see Figure 1) created by the Kansas Department of Health and Environmentwhich was also shared live on The Rachel Maddow Show that same day. This video can be used for educational and training purposes. Here Are the Most Misleading Product Claims | Time At a first glance, the graph, which is displayed below, shows a descending trend that starts the year the law was enacted, concluding that Stand Your Grown is responsible for the apparent drop in the number of murders committed using firearms in the years after it was implemented. These are examples of loaded questions., A more accurate way of wording the question would be, Do you support government assistance programs for unemployment? or, (even more neutrally) What is your point of view regarding unemployment assistance?, The latter two examples of the original questions eliminate any inference or suggestion from the poller, and thus, are significantly more impartial. The below graph is the one most often referenced to disprove global warming. (1 days ago) WebMisleading Data Visualization Examples 1. The ASA stated that the claim would be understood by readers to mean that 80 percent of dentists recommend Colgate over and above other brands, and the remaining 20 percent would recommend different brands.. (labels are clear, axes begin at 0, right chart type, etc) Is the research represented honestly and in an impartial manner? Bad Infographics: The Worst Infographics of 2020 - Venngage We apologize. Misleading Statistics - Real World Examples For Misuse of Data - Bad A typical example of amplification often happens with newspapers and journalists, who take one piece of data and need to turn it into headlines thus often out of its original context. Another common misuse of statistics is strategically picking the time period to show a result. tristin mays big time rush; Purposely or not, the time periods we choose to portray will affect the way viewers perceive the data. A controversial representation of this happened in 2014 when a graph depicting the number of murders committed using firearms in Florida from 1990 to 2010 was published in the context of the Stand Your Ground law, enacted in 2005 to give people the right to use deadly force for self-defense. It is, therefore, argued by global warming opponents that, as there was a 0.1-degree decrease in the global mean temperature over a 14-year period, global warming is disproved. Verify the accuracy of information by checking with trustworthy and credible sources. Some useful questions to ask could be: What purpose might the Georgia Department of Public Health have had in manipulating the plot in this way? This is an absolute reduction of 1.2% over 4 years, or 0.3% annually. The prevalence of health misinformation was the highest on Twitter and on issues related to smoking products and drugs. Now, as we learned throughout this post, we cant say with certainty that the law caused the rise in deaths as there are other factors that could influence that number. Misinformation is information that is false, inaccurate, or misleading according to the best available evidence at the time. From there naturally stems the question: who paid them? Statistical analyses have historically been a stalwart of the high-tech and advanced business industries, and today they are more important than ever. We will discuss this specific case in more detail later in the post. Engage with your friends and family on the problem of health misinformation. It is a data mining technique where extremely large volumes of data are analyzed for the purpose of discovering relationships between different points. During the pandemic, health misinformation has led people to decline vaccines, reject public health measures, and use unproven treatments. In this article, we review government power for, and constitutional limits on, regulating health-related speech, particularly on the internet . 5 sources of misleading statistics (& how they can jeopardize your Recently, Kellogg's UK was hit with a ban from the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) after making false health claims in its advert for Special K cereal. Whether for market intelligence, customer experience, or business reporting, the future of data is now. To illustrate, a survey asks 20 people a yes-or-no question. Until March 26, the bars' heights correspond to the numbers. The Surgeon Generals Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities. The most common one is of course correlation versus causation, which always leaves out another (or two or three) factors that are the actual causation of the problem. For example, if an urban planner sees that population growth in a certain part of the city is increasing at an exponential rate compared to other . Move with urgency toward coordinated, at-scale investment to tackle misinformation. The field of statistics is concerned with collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data.. Statistics Can Be Misleading, Especially During a Pandemic It is also worth noting that, as there is a large degree of variability within the climate system, temperatures are typically measured with at least a 30-year cycle. A trailer video introducing the Community Toolkit that can be used for educational and training purposes. In critical scenarios such as a global pandemic, this becomes even more important as misinformation can lead to a higher spread and more deaths. Be prepared to be confused. The selective bias is slightly more discreet for those who do not read the small lines. Going against conventions. When creating a graph to portray a statistic, it is natural to assume that the X and Y axes start at zero. Learn how to identify and avoid sharing health misinformation. Ebola, for example, kills 50% of the people it infects on average, which is why the doctors who treat it wear hazmat suits. Datasets are analyzed in ad hoc and exploratory ways. Misleading Statistics: Examples of Techniques Used However, some survival rate statistics can be misleading because they don't take into account differences in patient characteristics, such as age, sex, and stage of disease. But this didnt come easy. The case started when the giant pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma, launched its new product OxyContin, which they advertised as a safe, non-addictive opioid that was highly effective for pain relief. Misleading statistics in politics are quite common. The intent is to convey a shift in focus from cancer screenings to abortion. In the sections that follow we will show two cases of widely disseminated data visualizations that (mis)represent the situation they are describing. Increase resources and technical assistance to state and local public health agencies to help them better address questions, concerns, and misinformation. To avoid this issue, you should always pick a random sample of people whose background may or may not be related to the topic of the survey. Using a clearly defined scale, here is what the information looks like: Once placed within a clearly defined scale, it becomes evident that while the amount of cancer screenings has in fact decreased, it still far outnumbers the amount of abortion procedures performed yearly. It demonstrates the change in air temperature (Celsius) from 1998 to 2012. In 2007, Colgate was ordered by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of the U.K. to abandon their claim: More than 80% of Dentists recommend Colgate. The slogan in question was positioned on an advertising billboard in the U.K. and was deemed to be in breach of U.K. advertising rules. Small samples underrepresent your target audience. We then build on these examples to draw connections to how they could be used to enhance statistics teaching and learning, especially as it relates to secondary and introductory tertiary statistics coursework. The example above is an example of selective bias; the biologists were recruited, not randomly selected. Bad Data Visualization: 5 Examples of Misleading Data There are different ways in which statistics can be misleading that we will detail later. Example #1. For example, if you have a data set with a diastolic blood pressure range of 230 (highest diastolic value) to 25 (lowest diastolic value) = 205 (range), an error probably exists in your data because the values of 230 and 25 aren't valid blood pressure measures in most studies. Misleading graphs are a source of misinformation that worry many experts. This plot (Figure 2) shows something quite different than the one shared by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in the August 5 press conference. Although the hope would be that students recognize the misleading horizontal axis, it is important to point attention directly to it so that students begin to learn to dissect such visualizations by being critical of scalinga common point of intentional or unintentional misrepresentation of dataas they work toward becoming critical consumers. Proactively address the publics questions. The article, titled The Times leaves the rest behind started by displaying a graphic of the exponential growth of The Times website visitors from 2004 to 2006. Listen with empathy, ask questions, provide alternative explanations, and dont expect success from one conversation. Revisit this insightful list of bad statistics examples from time to time to remind you of the importance of using data in a proper way! Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government In 2006, The Times, a popular UK newspaper, printed a story about how they were the leading paper both online and in print in the UK. As an entrepreneur and former consultant, Mark Suster advises in an article, you should wonder who did the primary research of said analysis. to the .gov website. Now that weve looked at examples and common cases of misuse of statistics, you might be wondering, how do I avoid all of this? These studies are very soon contradicted by other important or outlandish findings. This is just one of many examples of misleading statistics in the media and politics. Considering the vast differences between, say, mice and elephants, it can be hard to fit 3 ounces and a ton on the same graph. This is a clear situation in which the axes are manipulated to show a specific result that is misleading. Whether this person notices or not, they might be providing an inaccurate or manipulated picture to confirm a specific conclusion. To the question "can statistics be manipulated? Statistics can tell us about trends that are. Now that we've put the misuse of statistics in context, let's look at various digital age examples of statistics that are misleading across five distinct, but related, spectrums: media and politics, news, advertising, science, and healthcare. But you cannot know until you ask yourself a couple of questions and analyze the results you have in between your hands. You can see a graph that shows the UK National debt from 1995 to 2016. We all need access to trusted sources of information to stay safe and healthy. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( The most recent case happened not too long ago in September 2021. Fig. Businesses and analysts are exposed to making biases when a single person is doing an entire analysis. Example 8: Urban Planning. This is known as the misuse of statistics. It is often assumed that the misuse of statistics is limited to those individuals or companies seeking to gain profit from distorting the truth, be it economics, education, or mass media. Research 101: Descriptive statistics - American Nurse Today The Misuse of Statistics in Politics: Abortion | YIP Institute Another issue, and maybe the worst of them all, is that the dates under the bars are not ordered chronologically. Yes, spin. Why might the COVID-19 case rates be higher in counties with mask mandates than those without? (, Adults Statistical Literacy: Meaning, Components, Responsibilities, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. It is our hope that these examples inspire statistics educators and statistics teacher educators to leverage these kinds of examples for use in teaching and learning to support students in working toward statistical literacy within the vision of the Pre-K12 and College GAISE Reports (Bargagliotti etal. Misleading Statistics - Real World Examples For Misuse of Data Statistics are infamous for their ability and potential to exist as misleading and bad data. Sample size is especially important if you analyze results in terms . Misinformation spreads especially easily on social media and online retail sites, as well as via search engines. Misleading p-values showing up more often in biomedical journal Share sensitive information only on official, Citation2020), this very truth has now been laid bare for the world to see in the media and social media as the general public grapples with making, and making sense of, data-based arguments around COVID-19. These are nine of the most misleading product claims. So, let's explore some interesting choices of using data visualization tools and discuss why they are misleading. Now that weve put the misuse of statistics in context, lets look at various digital age examples of statistics that are misleading across five distinct, but related, spectrums: media and politics, news, advertising, science, and healthcare. Now, if we take a closer look at this chart we can find a few mistakes that make the information very misleading. The most common ways statistics are misused, besides misinterpretation, are the following: faulty polling, flawed correlations, misleading data visuals, selective bias and small sample size (Lebeid 2018). Fig. Disinformation is when misinformation is used to serve a malicious purpose, such as to trick people into believing something for financial gain or political advantage. To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System It becomes hard to believe any analysis! Health Misinformation Current Priorities of the U.S. Health (2 days ago) Office of the U.S. The number of people aged 60 years or older will rise from 900 million to 2 billion between 2015 and 2050 (moving from 12% to 22% of the total global population). The problem was, the graph, which is depicted below, was built with a y-axis on a logarithmic scale instead of a linear one, making it look like the rate of change is smaller than it actually is. Register a free Taylor & Francis Online account today to boost your research and gain these benefits: Data (Mis)representation and COVID-19: Leveraging Misleading Data Visualizations For Developing Statistical Literacy Across Grades 616, a School of Teacher Preparation, Administration & Leadership, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, b Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Houston, Houston, TX, GAISE College Report ASA Revision Committee. Citation2020; GAISE College Report ASA Revision Committee Citation2016), in particular as it relates to being a critical consumer of statistics. Here are some more examples of missed opportunities to do so. The claim, which was based on surveys of dentists and hygienists carried out by the manufacturer, was found to be misrepresentative as it allowed the participants to select one or more toothpaste brands. So, can statistics be manipulated? A Beginners Introduction To The Most Common Data Types In Programming, A Complete Guide To Spider Charts With Best Practices And Examples Of When To Use Them, A Beginners Guide To The Power Of Area Charts See Examples, Types & Best Practices, Using percentage change in combination with a small sample size. For example, on a poll seeking tax opinions, lets look at the two potential questions: - Do you believe that you should be taxed so other citizens dont have to work? This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC BY license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. examples of misleading statistics in healthcare Data dredging is a self-serving technique often employed for the unethical purpose of circumventing traditional data mining techniques, in order to seek additional conclusions that do not exist. In addition to our cases motivating discussion of association, the plots also offer an important consideration of how scaling modifications can mislead the consumer. See typical methods & real-world examples of misuse of statistics the news, advertising, science & media. Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab. Taking that into account, what the graph is actually showing is an increase in deaths using firearms after the law was enacted. Finally, how big was the sample set, and who was part of it? Omitting baselines, or the axis of a graph, is one of the most common ways data is manipulated in graphs. How inclusive was it? Amplify communications from trusted messengers and subject matter experts. Lets take a look at some of the evidence for and against. Ioannidis JP. By closing this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Just like other industries or areas that we will cover on this list of examples, the healthcare industry is not free of the misuse of statistics. American network Fox News has been under scrutiny several times throughout the years for showing misleading statistics graphs that seem to purposely portray a conclusion that is not accurate. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic misinformation has caused people to decline COVID-19 vaccines, reject public health measures such as masking and physical distancing, and use unproven treatments. During the initial stages of COVID, the general public was forced to consume scientific information in the form of data visualizations to stay informed about the current developments of the virus. At the first glance, there may appear to not be anything inherently misleading about this plot (see Figure 1). However, upon closer inspection, you might notice that there are two vertical axes. The image below shows a graph advertising KFCs crispy chicken twister wrap and comparing its calories with other brands with a similar product. Oftentimes, data fishing results in studies that are highly publicized due to their important or outlandish findings. Misleading pie chart 4. What is a conclusion you could draw from this plot that would not make much sense (i.e., pushing them to make the causation error)? In this case, the goal is not association, but comparison, thereby making it a bit more difficult to initially interpret the data. You can also ask someone external to your research to look at the data, someone biased to the topic that can confirm your results are not misleading. Depending on the measure, data can be collected from different sources, including medical records, patient surveys, and administrative databases used to pay bills or to manage care. This is with the same aim of making it seem like the cases are dropping. While it is quite clear that statistical data has the potential to be misused, it can also ethically drive market value in the digital world. Misleading Statistics Can Be Dangerous (Some Examples) 4 Plot published in Acquah (Citation2020, May) utilizing two vertical axes to compare ice cream consumption and drowning deaths across time to represent association. Uncover the power of spider charts with this complete guide including examples, best practices, and more! Number don't add up 11. The Importance of Statistics in Healthcare (With Examples) Based on the structure of the chart, it does in fact appear to show that the number of abortions since 2006 experienced substantial growth, while the number of cancer screenings substantially decreased. Here are common types of misuse of statistics: Now that you know them, it will be easier to spot them and question all the stats that are given to you every day. 19 of the persons respond yes to the survey. This can lead to poor decision-making due to misinformation. Top 10 Most Flawed Sports Statistics - TheSportster The problem with correlations is this: if you measure enough variables, eventually it will appear that some of them correlate. Surveys or studies conducted on a sample size audience often produce results that are so misleading that they are unusable. The Worst Covid-19 Misleading Graphs - DataScienceCentral.com The chart points appear to indicate that 327,000 abortions are greater in inherent value than 935,573 cancer screenings. Likewise, what are the motives behind it? Another unfair method of polling is to ask a question, but precede it with a conditional statement or a statement of fact. This conversation will support students in then reconsidering the first plots from Case 1 from the Kansas Department of Health (see Figure 1), with a new understanding of their usefulness. Misuse of Statistics- What Leads to The Misuse of Statistics Remember, misuse of statistics can be accidental or purposeful. As businesses are often forced to follow a difficult-to-interpret market roadmap, statistical methods can help with the planning that is necessary to navigate a landscape filled with potholes, pitfalls, and hostile competition. We note that these examples come from the context of the United States as that is the context the authors are most familiar with, however, from scanning the news, these seem to be issues common across the world during this highly politicized global pandemic where peoples lives and politicians power are in danger. Increase investment in research on misinformation. Over the next few paragraphs, we provide some possible ways of using the two previous cases to support learning of comparing samples and association, as well as how data visualizations can (mis)lead both unintentionally and intentionally if the consumer is not critically examining them. During one of Fow News broadcasts, anchor Tucker Carlson displayed a graph saying that the number of Americans identifying as Christians had collapsed over the last decade. 2 Steven Strogatzs Twitter comment to show a recreation of a plot showing the number of daily cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 in the population of Kansas. Lets put this into perspective with an example of the misuse of statistics in advertising. Misinformation is information that is false, inaccurate, or misleading according to the best available evidence at the time. Much like abortion, global warming is another politically charged topic that is likely to arouse emotions. Misleading pie chart 4. When the Georgia Department of Public Health posted this plot (see Figure 3), it went viral because of what may have been intentional data manipulation. There, they speak about two use cases in which COVID-19 information was used in a misleading way. A 2009 investigative survey by Dr. Daniele Fanelli from The University of Edinburgh found that 33.7% of scientists surveyed admitted to questionable research practices, including modifying results to improve outcomes, subjective data interpretation, withholding analytical details, and dropping observations because of gut feelings. Moreover, this is a common topic appearing in tertiary introductory statistics courses, as well as courses on quantitative reasoning. Given the importance of data in todays rapidly evolving digital world, it is important to be familiar with the basics of misleading statistics and oversight. Strengthen and scale the use of evidence-based educational programs that build resilience to misinformation. Scientists! Truncating axes is a very dangerous false statistics practice, as it can help create wrong narratives around important topics. 1. However, closer inspection reveals that the dates along the horizontal axis are not in order of time, with, for instance, May 1 appearing before April 30 and April 26 appearing in between May 7 (on the left) and May 3 (on the right). You can be the judge. On Sept. 29, 2015, Republicans from the U.S. Congress questioned Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood, regarding the misappropriation of $500 million in annual federal funding. With the rise of advanced technology and globalized operations, statistical analyses grant businesses insight into solving the extreme uncertainties of the market. And finally, if youre not sure about the content dont share it. As individuals, we can help stop the spread of misinformation by taking the following steps: Everyone has the power to stop misinformation from spreading. Misleading Coronavirus graphs. Engage with your friends and family on the problem of health misinformation. Take this first example of a misleading graph that proves global warming is real. However, when taking a closer look at the graph, we can see that the y-axis is reversed, starting with the highest numbers at the bottom and reaching 0 at the top. . Although researchers have decried the need for statistical literacy among students and society for decades (Wallman Citation1993; Gal Citation2002; Bargagliotti etal. Prioritize early detection of misinformation super-spreaders and repeat offenders. The top 10 most-shared articles that were reviewed by clinicians and scientists for accuracy were: