Overview
Nobel Laureate and economist Ronald Coase once wrote, “If you torture data long enough, it will confess to anything.” Statistics or data without context can often be at the root of online misinformation. This lesson will help students understand statistics and data in order to root out misinformation and without context shared online to make misinformation more credible and equip them with tools to fact-check it.
Key Vocabulary
- Data context — the set of circumstances that surrounds a collection of data.
- Reading upstream — the practice of finding the original source of a claim, so you’re not basing your information on someone else’s interpretation.
Materials
- Lesson summary
- Lesson slide deck
- Student handout
- Projector
- Computers and Internet Connection
ACTIVATOR
(SLIDE 1) — THINK, PAIR, SHARE (5 Minutes)
- What is the problem with comparing the 100% growth of one religion to 85% growth of another religion in this comic strip?
(SLIDE 1) Presenter Notes
- Project this image
Source: https://xkcd.com/1102/
- Ask students to write down their thoughts, then discuss them with a partner (or small group). Then ask each group to share one example with the class.
(SLIDE 2) — KEY VOCABULARY (5 Minutes)
Data Context – the set of circumstances that surrounds a collection of data. What is the important context of the statistics cited in the Cartoon?
Reading Upstream – the practice of finding the original source of a claim, so you’re not basing your information on someone else’s interpretation.
(SLIDE 2) Presenter Notes
Preview the key vocabulary:
- Data Context – the set of circumstances that surrounds a collection of data. What is the important context of the statistics cited in the Cartoon?
- Reading Upstream – the practice of finding the original source of a claim, so you’re not basing your information on someone else’s interpretation.
(SLIDE 3) — HOW DOES THIS STUDENT LOAN REDUCTION STATISTIC STACK UP?
(SLIDE 3) Presenter Notes
- It may be fun to look at what things cost in 1973.
- Warren Gunnels is the Staff Director for Senator Bernie Sanders, who is chair of the Budget Committee. We’re going to fact-check his use of statistics in this post.
- Ask the students is they notice any issues without researching it first. Then ask them to research to fill out this chart on their handout with reputable sources.
Activity — Research Average Income and Cost of Items in 1973
| Item | 1973 | 2022 | Source |
| Weekly Wages | |||
| Median Home Price | |||
| Monthly Rent | |||
| Tuition: University of California | |||
| Hotdog | |||
| Item of your choice: |
(SLIDE 4) — MEDIAWISE FACT CHECK ABOUT THIS POST
(SLIDE 4) Presenter Notes
- Watch this video produced by the Mediawise Teen Fact-Checking team and take notes on your student handout
- What red flags signaled these statistics may be misleading?
- No sources were provided for the information
- What fact-checking techniques were used by the TFCN?
- Reading Upstream
- Read the comments
- How did their facts match your table of costs?
- Discuss
- If there are differences…why?
(Slide 5) — DISCUSSION OR EXIT OUT THE DOOR
What’s the Big Idea?
Nobel Laureate and economist Ronald Coase once wrote, “If you torture data long enough, it will confess to anything”. Explain in two-three full sentences how this quote applies to the Warren Gunnels post. Why is it important to understand the context of data?
(SLIDE 5) Presenter Notes
- Data can be twisted to support any position, even outrageous ones, especially without context.
- Unsupported data can lead to the spread of misinformation at best, and bad policy or worse.
- Data is meaningless without context.
Additional Resources
- MediaWise “Is This Legit?” Series
- How To Combat Political Misinformation from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
- Fact-Checking Lesson for Student Journalists
- Misinformation Overload Interviews from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
- StoryMaker Media Literacy Learning
- Reuters Media Literacy Contest
MediaWise is a digital media literacy initiative of the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Now in over 170 middle and high schools, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL) is a national youth journalism program that trains teenagers across the country to produce stories that highlight the achievements and challenges today’s youth face.
