Disseminating and communicating statistics

Jessica GardnerStatistician

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

• Demonstrate the relevance of data• Increase demand resources

“improve understanding of life in the United Kingdom, and enable informed decisions through trusted,

relevant, and independent statistics ”

Mandate is to inform

disseminationvs

communication

disseminate–verb (used with object), -nat·ed, -nat·ing.

to scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; promulgate extensively; broadcast; disperse.

Dictionary.com

communicate–verb (used with object) 1. to impart knowledge of; make known: to communicate information. 2.to give to another; impart; transmit.

Dictionary.com

communicationdissemination

disseminationAND

communication

Considerations

• Inform and initiate discussion • Accurate information• Independent and unbiased• Guarantee confidentiality• Consider vulnerable groups

media

Newspapers

Radio

Television

education

programs

lobby groups

politicians

Internet

clear and simple message

On their own, statistics are just numbers

Why should my audience want to read about this?

Who are you talking to?

Tourists

Harvesters

Miners

What’s the story?

Technical report released today

New survey results now available

Publication now on-lineThe results and findings are the story

Identify a theme

• International days• Year of the ….• Current events• Holidays• Half-way to MDG deadline• A series on “The way we

live now”

8 March International Womens’ Day

22 March World Day for Water

15 May International Day of Families

20 June World Refugee Day

11 July World Population Day

12 August World Youth Day

1 October International Day of Older Persons

15 October International Day of Rural Women

25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Source: http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/calendar_days_weeks_08.html

Write like a journalist: “inverted pyramid style”

Idea

Dataset

Analysis

ConclusionsIdea

Dataset

Analysis

Conclusions

Poor: Latest figures on information technology usage show that in the 1st quarter of 2008, two thirds of Estonian population aged 16–74 used computers and the Internet, as in the previous year.

Better: Two thirds of Estonian adults used the Internet in recent months.

Tables, charts or maps?

Age group Women Men10-14 1.8 4.015-19 13.8 31.520-24 27.0 62.025-29 33.3 92.030-34 36.5 97.835-39 47.5 98.940-44 52.0 98.745-49 62.2 99.250-54 64.1 97.555-59 58.4 97.960-64 42.0 79.465+ 30.6 50.0

Table A. Economic activity rate by age group and sex, Nigeria, 1987 (percentage)

Source: Calculated from International Labour Office, Year Book of Labour Statistics, 1993 (Geneva, 1993), table 1. p.15

Economic activity rate of women reaches its peak about 25 years later than men's

0

20

40

60

80

100

10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65+

Age in years

Percentage economically

active

Men

Women

avoid using 3D charts

Economic activity rate of women reaches its peak about 25 years later than men's

0

20

40

60

80

100

10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65+

Age in years

Percentage economically

active

Men

Women

More information

Jessica GardnerUNECE Statistical Division

Jessica.Gardner@unece.org

www.unece.org/stats