This document provides guidance on using statistics effectively in academic work. It explains why statistics are useful for adding authority, credibility, and visual interest to essays and reports. The document also offers tips on finding statistical data from various sources, understanding context and limitations, and properly presenting and referencing statistics.

1. The Joy of Stats
Use statistics with confidence.
#uwslibTalks
Inspiring“sessions” for studentsand staffsharedby expert librarians.

2. This session will cover
Why should I
use statistics?​
How do I find
statistical
data?​
How should I
present
statistics?

3. Why use statistics in your assignments?
Statistics can provide
Facts or
evidence​
Visual interest​
Proof of your
appraisal skills

4. UWS recommendations
Use evidence to add:​
Essay
Writing
• Authority to your point
• Credibility to your argument
• (Visual) interest to your
discussion
Evidence should be:
Report
Writing
• Presented
• Analysed and
• Applied to a specific issue
Source: EffectiveLearning(2013) Essayand Report Writing. [Online] Available:
http://moodle.uws.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3314&section=3 [Accessed:18 July 2017].

5. You will see statistical data in
Primary Sources
• (the data itself​)
• Official compilations,e.g. Scottish
Health Statistics
• General Interest sources, e.g. Statista
Secondary Sources
• (Interpretationsof the data)
• Journal articles
• Research papers
• Media reports

6. Finding statistical data
 Library’s discoverytool – One
Search
 Books (also check index pages)
 Journal articles
 Other free sources
 Google or similar search engine
 References from others

7. Searching within a source
Check “latest” or similar links/
Search for your topic/
Check A-Z
To see which tables/ data are
available
Also check accompanying report or
narrative – this gives context
Source: InformationStatisticsDivision(2017) ScottishHealthStatistics. [Online]Available:
http://www.healthscotland.com/scotlands-health/index.aspx[Accessed: 18 July 2017].

8. Sample table - Teenage pregnancies
Source: InformationandStatisticsDivision(2017) TeenagePregnancyRatesby Age Group atConception,1994-
2014.[Online]Available:
https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Sexual-Health/Publications/2016-07-05/2016-07-05-TeenPreg-
Summary.pdf[Accessed:18 July 2017].

9. Popular statistics: Statista
Availablein full on campus
Data from over 50 countries
Includes DOWNLOADABLE
dossiers, reports and Top 100
series
Statista:http://www.statista.com/

10. When using statistics in academic work
Ensure you
provide:
Context
• Set the scene
• Advise if limited
impact
Source
• Where you
found the data

11. Context: potential issues – finding data
You may need to
start with broad
search terms then
work through
available tables
Statistical data is
not up-to-date as
it takes time to
collect and
analyse
Statistical data is
only available if
firstly collected
and published

12. Context: potential issues - using data
Avoid poor
usage, e.g.​
• 50% of
the class
are ill
What do
we learn?​
• No. of people?
• Single cause?​
• Impact on
others?

13. Presenting statistics in your text
• Use diagrams,charts,tablesif visual interest enhances
comprehension
• Includeyour analysis,e.g. implicationofthe datadisplayed
Keep presentation logical
and easy to interpret, e.g.
• Includesource of data​(i.e. publicationdetails/reference)
• Add “adaptedfrom”if you’vechangedthe format
If using visual
representations
• Especially if table/ graphyou have copied is not providedby
the authorsof the rest of the work
Check copyright
permissions

14. Referencing your sources
Law students:
OSCOLA
Psychology students:
APA
Everyone else:
UWS Harvard