Oklahoma State University Types of Lies to Deceive People Discussion

Consider this quote by Mark Twain: “There are three types of lies: Lies, damn lies, and statistics”.

Explain how statistics can be lies, and how statistical data can be used to misrepresent or deceive people. Give an example, if possible.

You must respond to at least three other posts.

1.Statistics can be lies in the way that they are curated and shaped. They may be misleading in the fact that they are easily manipulated to favor one direction or another. As researchers we must be very careful to not create any leading questions, which can ultimately create faulty statistics. If there is any kind of bias in the research, this can and will be portrayed in the statistics. It’s not necessarily always that the statistics are lies, but rather that they information used to generate the statistics are slanted. Math is math and it does not change, but the data to calculate the statistics is where in the issue lies.

2.You are the researcher. Therefore, it is important for you to chose reliable sources and distinguishing between facts and opinions. In our world today, many publicists and news stations will try to twist statistics to support their opinion or to have the final result in their favor. Statistics can be lies vice versa and so forth, but it is important to consider the source before you start pulling data from particular sites. It is important to not have bias opinions before reading statistical data to be open to any answer or discovery. Dr. Kelly has mentioned before in class, “Would you be mad and angered if you found out that truth? What is the truth?”. Dr. Kelly’s words have stuck with me while reading the words quoted from Mark Twain.

3.There are several different ways people may want to contour certain statistics, most of the time to what favors them best. People are greedy and want what they want, sometimes only trying to benefit themselves and not everyone as a whole. There could also be bias in research and when some say certain data is an opinion, others could see that data as being factual.The first example that pops into my head would be the presidential election. We’ve seen time and time again how votes can just magically change and appear, and the candidate who seems to have no chance of winning, can somehow overnight become our next president.