Statistics for Public Policy: A Practical Guide to Being Mostly Right (or at Least Respectably Wrong)

Author:   Jeremy G. Weber
Publisher:   The University of Chicago Press
ISBN:  

9780226830759


Pages:   192
Publication Date:   16 January 2024
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
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Statistics for Public Policy: A Practical Guide to Being Mostly Right (or at Least Respectably Wrong)


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Overview

A long-overdue guide on how to use statistics to bring clarity, not confusion, to policy work. Statistics are an essential tool for making, evaluating, and improving public policy. Statistics for Public Policy is a crash course in wielding these unruly tools to bring maximum clarity to policy work. Former White House economist Jeremy G. Weber offers an accessible voice of experience for the challenges of this work, focusing on seven core practices:  Thinking big-picture about the role of data in decisions Critically engaging with data by focusing on its origins, purpose, and generalizability Understanding the strengths and limits of the simple statistics that dominate most policy discussions Developing reasons for considering a number to be practically small or large   Distinguishing correlation from causation and minor causes from major causes Communicating statistics so that they are seen, understood, and believed Maintaining credibility by being right (or at least respectably wrong) in every setting Statistics for Public Policy dispenses with the opacity and technical language that have long made this space impenetrable; instead, Weber offers an essential resource for all students and professionals working at the intersections of data and policy interventions. This book is all signal, no noise.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jeremy G. Weber
Publisher:   The University of Chicago Press
Imprint:   University of Chicago Press
Dimensions:   Width: 14.00cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 21.60cm
Weight:   0.254kg
ISBN:  

9780226830759


ISBN 10:   0226830756
Pages:   192
Publication Date:   16 January 2024
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

Preface 1. The Big Picture 2. Know Your Sample and Data 3. Know Simple Statistics and Their Power 4. Know What It Means to Account for Potholes 5. Know Large from Small and Explain the Difference 6. Think Hard about Causality 7. Show That You’ve Been to Table School 8. Know How to Be Mostly Right (or at Least Respectfully Wrong) 9. Fail the Test? A Case Study in Using Statistics for Policy Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

"“Our statistical texts—and often our teaching—ignore the craft that makes quantitative evidence useful for policy makers. In Statistics for Public Policy, Weber draws on his own experience to address the nitty-gritty issues that advisors confront in honestly and effectively interpreting and presenting evidence.” -- David L. Weimer | University of Wisconsin-Madison “The best public policy advisers know how to blend statistical knowledge with an understanding of the context of issues. Weber uses his experience as a White House economist to explain how analysts can make sense of messy real-world data and maintain their credibility even if their numbers turn out to be wrong. Accessible and engaging, Statistics for Public Policy presents practical tips to improve the use of statistics and data in the policy world.” -- Eric M. Patashnik | coauthor of ""A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving"""


Author Information

Jeremy G. Weber is professor in the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He previously served as a chief economist for the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

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