Is That a Fact?: A Field Guide for Evaluating and Statistical and Scientific Information

Is that a Fact? teaches students how to think critically about scientific and statistical information. The goal of the text is not only to teach readers how to identify misleading use of statistics, but also to give readers the understanding necessary to evaluate and use statistical and statistically based scientific information. Is that a Fact? teaches students how to think critically about scientific and statistical information. The goal of the text is not only to teach students how to identify statistical fallacies, but also to give students the understanding necessary to evaluate and use statistical and statistically based scientific information. The availability of information on the Web means that laypeople can now access primary research with remarkable ease. But this access is meaningful only if they know how to evaluate the claims. While avoiding all statistical formalism, this text provides students with a useable understanding of statistical and scientific reasoning. This understanding should enable them not only to evaluate information from polls and scientific studies, but also to make use of this understanding in their own decision making. It does not suppose a mathematical or technical background. It focuses on making reasonable use of statistical information, not merely avoiding being misled. Cartoons are used to illustrate concepts. It also includes illustrations.

About the Author :
Mark Battersby is Professor of Philosophy at Capilano College.

Review :
"Is That a Fact? provides an entertaining and enlightening tour of the often confusing world of probability and statistics, always with an eye on their proper role in good reasoning. A delightful discussion that beautifully clarifies what is all too often confusing or just plain confused. The book help will ordinary citizens to better understand and evaluate all sorts of scientific claims as they occur in the popular press and public policy debates. Hats off to Mark Battersby!"--Harvey Siegel "Is That a Fact? should be compulsory reading for every journalist, especially anyone calling themselves a 'science writer' or 'investigative reporter'. This sometimes humorous and well illustrated guide to the world of data, graphs, and statistics is well written and fun to read. Finally we learn the difference between a correlation and an association and how to tell one from the other. Battersby also shows how to spot classic fallacies of reasoning, and how to read scientific articles with a critical eye. Highly recommended."--Barry Shell "Mark Battersby's Is That a Fact? is a readable, entertaining, reliable and useful guide to an important life skill in today's complex world: understanding, evaluating and using statistical information and reports of scientific research. Using a framework of four "critical questions" (What does the claim mean? How good is the evidence? What else is relevant? What are the fallacies?), Battersby takes the reader through the topics of polling, data, graphs, correlations and causes, and scientific claims. He then shows how to use the information one has evaluated to make decisions. Is That a Fact? is studded with extensive discussions of real-life examples that touch on matters of concern to everyone, such as the health risks of second-hand smoke and of cell-phone use. It is amply illustrated with figures, charts and well-drawn cartoons that vividly bring home key points."--David Hitchcock "One of the intellectual currents of our time has been a revolution in the study of reasoning and argument. Philosophers and other academics have broadened their horizons and turned their attention to the study and analysis of the reasoning, arguments and attempts at persuasion that inundate our lives. Mark Battersby has been an integral part of the movement in this direction. In Is That A Fact? he provides an engaging and thoroughly readable introduction to critical thinking on statistical and scientific claims. It can usefully inform the thinking of everyone who has to contend with such claims in their professional or personal lives."--Leo Groarke "Using timely and important examples, Professor Battersby provides a careful and well-documented discussion of statistics, and does this without sacrificing liveliness or readability. Is That a Fact? is a fascinating book about statistics to give to all your friends."--Trudy Govier