How to Lie with Statistics

by Darrell Huff

it is not necessary that a poll be rigged—that is, that the results be deliberately twisted in order to create a false impression. The tendency of the sample to be biased in this consistent direction can rig it automatically.

With all proper respect toward the medical profession, do doctors know any more about tobacco brands than you do?

This has not aged well

clear weather is more dangerous than foggy weather. More accidents occur in clear weather, because there is more clear weather than foggy weather.

Given a small sample, you are likely to find some substantial correlation between any pair of characteristics or events that you can think of.

Any percentage figure based on a small number of cases is likely to be misleading. It is more informative to give the figure itself.