Understanding Data in the Media Podcast

Understanding Data in the Media

The University of Sheffield
Learn how to make sense of social statistics and economic data with this introductory course on quantitative social science from the University of Sheffield. Increasingly, we’re bombarded with all sorts of data about how society is changing: opinion poll trends, migration data, economic results, government debt levels and MPs’ expenses claims. The ability to read such information with confidence is an increasingly important skill for both modern citizens and those studying the social sciences. We’ll look at ways of cutting through the confusion to decide what numbers reveal, and when and why they (sometimes deliberately) mislead.
Ted Dunning and Ellen Friedman in conversation part 2
Data experts Ted Dunning and Ellen Friedman discuss how data is used in today's digital society. They examine the enormous potential offered by big data, explain the new technologies that enable real time analytics and explore best practices for transforming how we plan large-scale computing projects.
Jun 27, 2017
10 min
Video
Small to Big Numbers: Making Sense of Data in the Media
Dr Mark Taylor - Lecturer in Quantitative Methods at the Sheffield Methods Institute explains how to understand the use of small numbers in this excerpt from our new free, open online course 'Making Sense of Data in the Media.'
Jun 27, 2017
2 min
Video
Big to Small Numbers: Making Sense of Data in the Media
Dr Mark Taylor - Lecturer in Quantitative Methods at the Sheffield Methods Institute explains how to break down bigger numbers in this excerpt from our new free, open online course 'Making Sense of Data in the Media.'
Jun 27, 2017
2 min
Video
Ted Dunning and Ellen Friedman in conversation part 1
Data experts Ted Dunning and Ellen Friedman discuss how data is used in today's digital society. They examine the enormous potential offered by big data, explain the new technologies that enable real time analytics and explore best practices for transforming how we plan large-scale computing projects.
Jun 27, 2017
4 min
Video
Interview with Joe Twyman from YouGov
In this video, we hear from Joe Twyman, the Head of Political and Social Research for Europe, Middle East and Africa at YouGov (an internet-based market research company) about his experience of conducting research through surveys.Joe explains some of the basic principles of surveying, why web-based surveys are an increasingly important mode of survey data collection and how to read survey results properly.
Jun 27, 2017
7 min
Video
Drawing a Sample
A sample is a subset of a population. It lies at the heart of survey research. It is sometimes called a ‘miniature of the population’, so the process of drawing a sample should maximise the similarity between the population under study and the sample.In this video, educator Aneta Piekut looks at how we select the members of the population to achieve this goal.
Jun 27, 2017
7 min
Video
Correlation Does Not Imply Causation
This is a phrase used in statistics to emphasise that a correlation between two variables does not imply that one causes the other. Just because two trends seem to fluctuate in tandem, that doesn’t prove that they are meaningfully related to one another.In this video, Todd explains the difference between correlation and causation and advises caution whenever you see an eye-catching headline suggesting that one activity leads to another.
Jun 27, 2017
3 min
Video
Reviewing the Methodology
Most reputable organisations will provide some level of information about the data they publish so that we can see how it was collected, who procured it, and for what purpose. Without this basic information, we should be wary of any results drawn from this data. This information is often described in the ‘Methodology’ section of a document (i.e. news article, survey report, academic paper) and it is crucial to whether we should trust the data.In this video, Todd Hartman explains some of the important questions a reliable methodology section should answer:- WHO sponsored the study, and who collected the data?- WHAT is the sample size?- WHEN was the data collected or observed?- WHERE is the data from?- HOW was the data collected?- WHY was the data collected?
Jun 27, 2017
3 min
Video
The Importance of Measurement
Measurement is how we quantify objects and events so that we can make comparisons among them. Being aware of the measures used in a dataset will help you determine the quality of the evidence.
Jun 27, 2017
2 min
Video
When Research Questions Go Bad
What happens when a research question isn’t framed properly? You can end up with misleading conclusions.In this video, educator Andy Bell considers a recent news story and the research question (or questions) that lie behind it.
Jun 27, 2017
4 min
Video
Load more