Are statistics deceptive?

The following examples offer statistical evidence. Rate the statistics given in each as reliable
(1) or not reliable (2) and then state what rule or standard you used in making your
judgment.

1. Sixty-seven percent of people would prefer that the races be separated. That’s
what a poll of my listeners is showing. (Mike Gallagher, radio-talk-show host) (2)
- Confusing number

2. Intermarriage continues to rise in the United States. The share of new marriages between
spouses of a different race or ethnicity increased to 15.1% in 2010, more than double the share in
1980. (Pew Research. org. Email Newsletter. 16 February 2012) (1)

3. I would guess that the average office female makes 509 visits to the lavatory to a male’s 230,
and spends 10.7 minutes there to a male’s 2.5. What management is going to put up with this
“prime time” featherbedding at equal pay? (Edgar Berman, guest columnist, USA Today) (2)

Unknowable statistic

4. A new study shows that teens who send excessive numbers of text messages may be at risk
for unhealthy behaviors. The study focused upon a sample of students in an urban Michigan
county, most of whom were from a lower socioeconomic status, were a member of a minority
group, and had no father in the home. Researchers found that teens who excessively text are 50
percent more likely to have tried cigarettes, 45 percent more likely to be in a physical fight, and
35 percent more likely to be binge drinkers. This study should serve as a wake-up call to parents
and prompt them to discourage their children from texting excessively. (lỗi fallacy, bias
statistics) (2)

5. Participating in social networking activities such as Facebook and Twitter reduces college
students’ abilities to maintain adequate writing and grammar skills. A recent study of 10,000
students during a writing examination conducted by several universities across the United States
revealed that students who actively engaged in social networking had poorer writing and
grammar skills by more than 50% compared to scores of those students who did not participate
on social networking sites. (reliable for the experiment conducted is related and
6. “Over 80% of Americans support very little or no immigration. Is anyone listening to us?”
“Tired of sitting in traffic? Every day, another 6,000 immigrants arrive. Every day!” (Billboards
in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, sponsored by Craig Nelson, founder of Project USA,
www.projectusa.org)