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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20220105T131724Z
DTSTART:20220118T160000Z
DTEND:20220118T170000Z
SUMMARY:Social Statistics Seminar - 18 January 2022
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DESCRIPTION:Social Statistics Seminars 2021/22 – January Session\n \nWe n
 eed to talk about statistics: The purpose of statistics is insight not n
 umbers\n\nNeil Sheldon (Teaching Statistics Trust)\n\nJoin us at 4pm (GM
 T) on 18 January 2022!\n\nRegistration link: http://bit.ly/socialstats01
 22\n\nPlease register using your full name and your email address.\n\n \
 nAbstract\n\nIn recent years\, statistics teaching has seen a welcome mo
 ve away from formulae and calculation. Especially with the rise of ‘big 
 data’\, numerical processing is increasingly being done with software\, 
 and traditional inference is giving way to prediction. These development
 s make it ever more important for students to learn the art and science 
 of interpretation. Teachers need to change too\, focusing less on the nu
 mbers and more on the language and logic of statistical investigation. \
 nAs with many academic disciplines\, statistics overlays everyday langua
 ge with specialist meaning: one familiar example is the word ‘significan
 t’ which means very different things in everyday use and in statistics. 
 Research shows that parallel meanings such as this make it harder for st
 udents to understand the logic of statistical methods. Research also sho
 ws that teaching with a richer vocabulary can help to overcome this prob
 lem of understanding. \nBut statistics is more than just an academic dis
 cipline\, it is a vital element of citizenship: we all need statistical 
 understanding to make sense of the world around us. Yet statistical data
  are routinely misunderstood and misinterpreted in the media. In most ca
 ses\, the errors arise not from the numbers themselves\, but from the co
 nfused and inaccurate language used to comment on them. Clear language i
 s essential to clear thought. \nThis lecture\, drawing on practical exam
 ples and links with the philosophy of science\, will explore the ways in
  which careful use of language can help everyone – teachers\, students a
 nd citizens – to understand statistics better\, whether in formulating e
 nquiries\, interpreting data\, or reaching trustworthy conclusions and c
 ommunicating them effectively.  \n\n\nAbout the speaker\n\nNeil Sheldon 
 (neilsheldon.net) was a teacher for more than 40 years. He is a Chartere
 d Statistician and a former Vice-President of the Royal Statistical Soci
 ety. He was the RSS Guy Lecturer in 2007-8 and he is currently Chair of 
 the Teaching Statistics Trust. Neil’s other academic interests include p
 hilosophy and linguistics.\n\n\nFor regular updates on our events\, sign
  up to our seminar mailing list on JiscMail: bit.ly/socialstatslist
STATUS:TENTATIVE
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
CLASS:PUBLIC
LOCATION:Online event
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