Learn how to select, understand and use data in reports, presentations, recommendations and evidence-based policy.
Course topics
Defining data
- What do we mean by data?
- What types of data might we encounter and where do we find it?
Key statistics
- Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) and when to use them
- Percentages, rates, ratios, probabilities
- Significance, error, correlation and causation
Describing your data
- Language of evidence, risk and causation
- Biased language
- Writing recommendations
Accessible and open data
- Open and closed data
- Big data and data licensing
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, participants should be able to:
- recognise the need for data skills
- recognise types of data and types of variables
- interpret key statistics
- recognise biased, loaded and imprecise language when used to describe data
- find and evaluate data, including its licensing
- recognise the difference between studies and evidence.
Learning method
This interactive course includes lectures, group discussions, exercises and comprehensive course notes.