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Everydata: The Misinformation Hidden in the Little Data You Consume Every Day
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While everyone is talking about “big data,” the truth is that understanding the “little data”—the stats that underlie newspaper headlines, stock reports, weather forecasts, and so on—is what helps you make smarter decisions at work, at home, and in every aspect of your life. The average person consumes approximately 30 gigabytes of data every single day, but has no idea ho
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Start your review of Everydata: The Misinformation Hidden in the Little Data You Consume Every Day
This was not quite as deep as I had expected. This is roughly equivalent in math discussion to the high school business math level (which my daughter is currently taking, so I recognize some of this from recent homework help). The concepts, like forecasting and sampling, are all described very well, and in some cases with some interesting examples. It goes as deep as discussing chance when flipping multiple coins or changing scales on charts to tell different stories. This is so basic, and the d
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I found it very repetitive. The content is good tough.
Short, approachable book about statistics and interpreting data
This was a basic intro to understanding data around us. If you learn anything from this book hopefully it is that you should remain skeptical. I personally don't have time to study the research for every claim made online (I doubt most people do) as would be necessary to do based on this book, but it is important to realize that people often jump to their own conclusions about data either intentionally or not.
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Mark Twain said there are three types of lies in the world: Lies, Damn lies, and Statistics. This book explores that quote a bit farther--what exactly makes statistics a lie? Is there a time when they are not lies? Of course. Are there times when they are intentional lies? Oh my yes. Are there times when they are unintentionally misleading? Most of the time, it seems. This book documents the different ways that a stat can go astray, what that means in your every day life, and how you can avoid t
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Are you easily swayed (or turned off) by chart-wielding political pundits? Do you tense up after reading yet another article about the latest medical research study? Whether you’re a confident or a “statistics-illiterate” consumer of information, Everydata: The Misinformation Hidden in the Little Data You Consume Every Day is a clear, enjoyable guide to decoding our data-driven world. You’ll understand the difference between mean and median, causation and correlation, as well as review concepts
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Everydata = the data that surrounds us in our everyday lives
This book is a relatively simplistic overview of many principles of statistics such as, outliers, margins of error, statistical significance, sampling, cherry picking, confirmation bias, averages, probability, forecasts, etc.
The goal of the book is to make the reader a better educated consumer of “everydata.”
Notes:
A sample of the population in question is used and inferences are made on the whole when polling the entire population in ...more
This book is a relatively simplistic overview of many principles of statistics such as, outliers, margins of error, statistical significance, sampling, cherry picking, confirmation bias, averages, probability, forecasts, etc.
The goal of the book is to make the reader a better educated consumer of “everydata.”
Notes:
A sample of the population in question is used and inferences are made on the whole when polling the entire population in ...more
The book is more about statistical concepts than making use of daily digital data. An example used in the book is the explosion of the Challenger, which happened in 1986. That's not a current event... has nothing to do with "big data" or "little data." It explained how the use of selective data led to the unanticipated disaster. The book is useful for readers who aren't familiar with statistics and want to learn. One story that fits with the title of the book is about Zillow, the website that gi
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Patronising middle-school Statistics and cocktail party factoids. There's undoubtedly an audience that will find this book useful (very small children, Americans), and, unfortunately, a larger one that will find it interesting, but I, for one, am getting very tired of these deeply condescending booklets written by slimy white guys who think it's very important you realise they hold an advanced degree (though not usually one in a field related to the one they're writing about; John H. Johnson, Ph
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For a person who doesn't exactly like to read about numbers and has never taken a stats class, this was pretty readable. In particular, I like what he (they?) had to say about media's manipulation of data.
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A good book about statistics for a layman. However, it is written in a strange friendly tone. Not an authoritative one. I was removed from the prose many times due to inline witticism.
The book does a good job on two fronts:
1) How media/research journals provide us (consumers) a narrow view of the data to sensationalize the news or to push their agenda
2) Using copious examples, the authors do a good job explaining statistical terms and how to interpret data when it's presented to us.
If you're fairly new (in your professional life) to handling data on a regular basis, you may find the book useful. If you've been in the corporate world for a while, you already know how the game ...more
1) How media/research journals provide us (consumers) a narrow view of the data to sensationalize the news or to push their agenda
2) Using copious examples, the authors do a good job explaining statistical terms and how to interpret data when it's presented to us.
If you're fairly new (in your professional life) to handling data on a regular basis, you may find the book useful. If you've been in the corporate world for a while, you already know how the game ...more
If you've read The Signal and the Noise, Naked Statistics, Damned Lies and Statistics or any of the many similar titles, you really don't need to read this one, too. I also listened to it read by the author, which, in 99.9% of the cases, is a terrible idea, and JJ is a terrible narrator. If you've never read any of the other books, it's interesting; If you have and/or are any good at interpreting results and challenging statistics, you can give it a miss.
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It's a good book. As title says, it explains lots of gotchas about the data we consume everyday.
Author spends good amount of time explaining how we mix Correlation with causation, with tons of everyday example.
Book doesn't go deep dive on data or stats for nerds so if you expect that, then it might disappointed you little. But in a way, it's a good thing that author explained things in plain English and doesn't go deep so everyone can understand. ...more
Author spends good amount of time explaining how we mix Correlation with causation, with tons of everyday example.
Book doesn't go deep dive on data or stats for nerds so if you expect that, then it might disappointed you little. But in a way, it's a good thing that author explained things in plain English and doesn't go deep so everyone can understand. ...more
There is information hidden in the little data one consumes every day. It is that EVERYDATA that contains powerful information. This book will help you make smarter and faster decisions. It is filled with countless stories and examples of how data can help and can cause unintended consequences. Karen Briscoe, author and podcast host "5 Minute Success"
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I think this could have been a really good book, but somehow it lacked the right tone. I listened to this as an audiobook, and it just seemed a bit too 'friendly'? I think this book gave some first level insights into this topic, good for laypeople, but just didn't give me the depth I needed.
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Only got through half of book. Had high hopes after hearing the author(s) interviewed on a podcast, but I would much rather re-read a Freakonomics book or The Signal And The Noise than finish this one.
A must read book for everyone.
Was expecting more. Gave some nice anecdotal arguments that could be used when discussing data. Nothing for someone who has at least some statistical schooling.
Good introduction into statistics for the layman.
Great book, nothing that hasn't necessarily been written elsewhere but an excellent primer.
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Summary of this read: lees figure and figures lie. The author challenges you to question how data was collected and the motivation of the presenter of the data before taking it as the truth.
They’re trying to be freakanomics but without any astounding unexpected insights. It’s really a collection of evidences that you can’t trust anything. It was fine, but pretty shallow.
Definitely piqued my interest! It really puts into perspective just how misinformed most of the general public truly is.
Apr 01, 2021
Andréa
marked it as to-read
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
The book did not quite meet expectations and I was probably not the intended audience for it. By having studied statistics at university level it was quite basic knowledge and also the real-life examples were not that colorful. This book covers the difference between mean and median, causation and correlation, as well as reviews concepts related to sampling, forecasting, and bias and might help to identify related fallacies in real life for a person with limited general understanding in statisti
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There is a famous adage that reads “There are three types of lies—lies, damned lies, & statistics”. Mark Twain is credited as saying “Facts are stubborn…statistics are more pliable”. My personal favorite? “Statistics are like a bikini…what they reveal is interesting, but what they hide is vital”. Despite the fact that, on the outside, statistics look like the be-all, end-all of any topic or discussion, there is clearly a deep-seated mistrust of them. In “Everydata”, John Johnson & Mike Gluck exp
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It’s not big or small data: it’s bad data
Data is the modern cure-all. You’ve got a problem with your health, your wallet, your love life, your politicians? The solution isn’t medicine or education or counseling or voting. It’s data! Lots of little bits of numbers add up to how you should live your life. Data is a new religion. Data can reveal the truth. Data can tell us the future. Data can tell us the consequences of today’s decisions.
This, of course, is absurd. Numbers, statistics, experiments ...more
Data is the modern cure-all. You’ve got a problem with your health, your wallet, your love life, your politicians? The solution isn’t medicine or education or counseling or voting. It’s data! Lots of little bits of numbers add up to how you should live your life. Data is a new religion. Data can reveal the truth. Data can tell us the future. Data can tell us the consequences of today’s decisions.
This, of course, is absurd. Numbers, statistics, experiments ...more
When was the last time you couldn't put down a book about statistics? Everydata uses compelling contemporary stories to bring the key concepts of statistics to life in 9 fun to read chapters. Plus, it has an extensive notes section that itself is fun to read.
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This book was interesting but a bit dry in places. I enjoyed it but did end up skimming a bit. It had its good points as it showed the practical use of data and how it is presented to us. This was a good read.
Mr. Joe
Mr. Joe
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