MACLEAY
COLLEGE
Research and the Internet
Week 5
Statistics & numbers
Lecturer: FIONA WEST
www.keeneye.com.au
Statistics & numbers
Journalists need to be able to:
• Carry out basic calculations (fractions, percentages)
• Comprehend, analyse and use data from surveys/polls
• Understand basic – but important – numbers (interest
rates, unemployment rate, average temperatures, etc)
• Build a story around statistical and numerical
information to make it relevant
• Turn data into graphs, charts or illustrations for
accessibility
Statistics & numbers
Number/statistic-based stories:
Most media carry these types of stories on a daily basis,
written by reporters from all rounds and all levels of experience.
Common number-based stories include:
• Population facts and figures
• Crime and road accident figures, comparisons
• Weather stories, weather patterns
• Financial stories, budget releases, rates of pay
• Sports stories, match stats, tipping
• Commodity/fuel prices, real estate, cost of living
Statistics & numbers
How figures are used:
• When new statistics are released – story in themselves
(e.g. Council CEOS)
• To create a related story (e.g. Heath Ledger)
• To support a story already running (e.g. K Rudd fashion)
• For factual information (e.g. Census info on Aust Day)
• To flesh out a story, add weight or extra info
(e.g. Manly magistrates claims)
Statistics & numbers
Numbers you should know:
• Population (Australia, NSW, Sydney, your circulation area)
• Demographics of your audience/readers
• Average income
• Value of Aussie dollar
• Home loan interest rates
• Unemployment rate
• Quarterly and annual inflation rate
• Current level of all ordinaries index
• Recent share market trends
Statistics & numbers
Where to find statistical info:
INTERNET SITES:
• Australian Bureau of Statistics
• NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
ALSO:
• Polls (ACNielsen, Roy Morgan, News Poll, newspapers, etc)
• ANZ Bank jobs survey
• CPI
Statistics & numbers
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
www.abs.gov.au
• Official site for Australian stats
• Updated daily 11.30am (latest reports/media releases)
• Census figures (every five years)
• CPI figures (every quarter)
• Quick stats on suburbs/regions
Statistics & numbers
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
www.abs.gov.au
• Quick Stats: find your suburb’s stats (higher/lower than Aus average):
- main age group
- country of birth
- unemployment %
- main occupation
- median household income
• CDATA Online: find stats by topic, rather than location
Statistics & numbers
2. NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics (ABS)
www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au
Typical questions the Bureau can answer:
• Which areas have high reported crime rates?
• Which offences are increasing in frequency?
• How many people are charged with particular criminal
offences each year?
• What proportion of people are found guilty of different
kinds of offences?
• What range of penalties are imposed for various offences?
Statistics & numbers
3. NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and
Marriages www.bdm.nsw.gov.au
Part of Attorney General’s Department.
Basic information includes:
• No of births, deaths and marriages per year
• Most popular baby names
Statistics & numbers
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• A measure of changes, over time, in the price of goods
and services that people buy (bread, milk, petrol,etc)
• The percent change in the CPI is a measure of inflation
• The CPI is one of the most closely watched national
economic statistics
• Released quarterly
• Prices collected from supermarkets, restaurants, travel
agents, schools, etc) via personal visit, phone, internet
Statistics & numbers
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
11 categories, 33 subgroups, 90 expenditure classes:
• Food
• Alcohol and tobacco
• Clothing and footwear
• Housing
• Household contents and services
• Health
• Transportation
• Communication
• Recreation
• Education
• Financial and insurance services
Statistics & numbers
More on numbers & stats:
1. PERCENTAGES: Always relate these to the numbers
they represent
2. PERSPECTIVE: Put numbers into context
• Crowds – describe in terms of capacity of venue like SCG
• Water – Compare amounts to Olympic swimming pool
• Area – Compare large areas to familiar ones, like Tassie
• Salaries – How much higher than average or PM?
3. AVERAGES: Be careful!
• Mean – True average
• Median – Middle point of all values in the range
• Mode – Most commonly occurring value in the range
Statistics & numbers
More on numbers & stats:
4. WRITING FIGURES:
• Fractions: 1/3 of marriages end in divorce
• Proportion: 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce
• Percentage: 33% of marriages end in divorce
5. ROUNDING:
• Essential in broadcast news
• Never in sports results
• Make sure rounded figure is honest representation
• Round down if .4 or under, up for .5 and over
6. CHECK, DOUBLE CHECK, TRIPLE CHECK
• Always check calculations, figures, phone nos, etc.
Statistics & numbers
Thought for the day:
“
Know your essential stats, know your
readers and, most importantly, know
”
how changes to these stats will effect
your readers
Contact: fiona.west@optusnet.com.au