Walter Radermacher
Literacy in statistics for the public discourse
Sapienza University of Rome
one assesses quality statistics according whether fit purpose one must put question purpose beginning production statistics also use literacy required contribution public discourse political communication decisionmaking processes placed beginning argument official statistics work conceptual approach much emphasis placed standardisation products processes thus ensuring comparability facts regional temporal terms way statistics used common language objectify conflicting issues everyone able create statistical model reality quite opposite sense public statistics infrastructure comparable rail transport moreover statistical processes today highly rationalised industrialised comparable factory approaching question literacy needed particular application area statistics education training professional statisticians accordingly specific requirements many ways comparable professions industries operation railways basic qualification citizen entrepreneur teacher student etc wants understand apply indicators public statistical sources technical skills secondary importance rather necessary understand enough product properties able judge quality light personal application goals questions indeed already presupposes lot knowledge experience dealing quantitative information competencies necessarily belong field mathematics demand practice interpreting indicators context assessment reliability sources processes experience graphical representations statistics including flaws may appear practice assessing uncertainties etc one needs know certain amount data sources preparation processes quality standards etc level would required one carry work oneself