Download the full article (PDF)

When Hans Rosling started to use his amazing data driven graphics to tell the world that it was not the world it thought it was, studying statistics suddenly became interesting. Even better, it became accessible. As Rosling demonstrates with his deft use of large international databases, animations, and internet video, technology now makes it possible to use data to tell exciting stories. In days gone by those stories would have lain undiscovered, neatly tabulated, filed and locked away.

There has never been a shortage of people telling stories, but now we can look at those stories with a degree of scepticism, find the underlying data, and make our own judgements. And if this all seems too much, we can rely on data savvy journalists and bloggers to pick up the trail. Still, a degree of numeracy together with common sense and an ability to spot a dodgy argument are statistical skills we all, as members of a democracy, should possess...

Download the full article (PDF)