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Understanding Data in Humanities

The essay discusses the importance of statistical generalizations in understanding data, emphasizing concepts like central tendencies (mean, median, mode) and dispersion (range, standard deviation). It highlights the significance of visualizing data through various methods such as graphs and tables to make sense of information. Additionally, it touches on the implications of data in evaluating policies and the role of big data and AI in data science.

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eunice
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21 views17 pages

Understanding Data in Humanities

The essay discusses the importance of statistical generalizations in understanding data, emphasizing concepts like central tendencies (mean, median, mode) and dispersion (range, standard deviation). It highlights the significance of visualizing data through various methods such as graphs and tables to make sense of information. Additionally, it touches on the implications of data in evaluating policies and the role of big data and AI in data science.

Uploaded by

eunice
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Statistics and the

Humanities Essay
“Statistical generalizations are implicit not merely in
impressionistic adjectives like "some" and "most" and
"many," but also in nouns like "majority" and "democracy"
and verbs like "expand" and "grow." A single term can
serve to summarize an implicit statistical statement ..."

(Fischer 1970, 104)


How to make sense of data?
• “Averages” (central tendencies)
• “Spreads” (dispersion)
• + Visualizations (graphs)
“Central tendencies”
› Mode

› Median

› Mean
What should YOU care?
• Mean or median?
“Spread” (Dispersion)
• How the cases are distributed across its values
Range
But the “in-between values”
are not counted at all
Standard deviation
“What’s the average distance of the data-points
from the mean?”
What should YOU care?
• How the cases are distributed across its values
Visualize data
• Tables
• Graphs
• Others
Common Examples
• Frequency Distributions

• Bar Graphs

• Cross-Tabulations

• Mean Comparison Tables

• Line Graphs
Chinese Govt’s policies & targets for workplace,
road, fire safety (Fisman & Wang 2017)

Do they work?
Has the world become a better place?
(World Bank)
Visualization of Data
Visualization of Ideas
The Art of
Visualization
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xekEXM0Vonc
Dynamic Visualization
à DATA SCIENCE
The Power of Big Data and AI

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