swedishcelt 0 #1 February 26, 2007 where two things that are related, but have nothing directly to do with each other. I have seen hundreds posted here before for laughs but can't find any right now for some reason. For example, a bad example, an article that says that ice cream consumption is related to the number of drownings in a summer, but where it's obvious there are other factors... like perhaps that is because they both are affected by warm weather and increased swimming because of it. I am trying to show something to my journalism class that I am teaching. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,483 #2 February 26, 2007 Not of much help, but I'm reminded of a lecture in my stats class on an example of poor use of statistics: Quote95% of all automobile accidents are within five miles of one's home. Conversly, 95% of all driving is done within five miles of one's home. Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #3 February 26, 2007 Car and Driver magazine a few years back had an article trying to link highway fatality rates to the rise and fall of the economy. They were trying to make an argument against lower speed limits for safety. I was fairly unconvinced. Are you trying to prove, disprove, or merely examine those types of arguments? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Programmer 0 #4 February 26, 2007 The classic example is " Leaves fall off trees, then it snows." Both are caused by the coming of cold weather due to the earth's tilt on its axis, etc., but the trees don't cause the snow. You might want to Google cause and effect relationships examples, or something like that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
swedishcelt 0 #5 February 26, 2007 I'm trying to disprove and examine them as a way of warning them against doing it themselves. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumper03 0 #6 February 26, 2007 QuoteI'm trying to disprove and examine them as a way of warning them against doing it themselves. what level should the article be written on?Scars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
swedishcelt 0 #7 February 26, 2007 Any, they are honors Jr.s and Sr.s. As long as it's not risque. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumper03 0 #8 February 26, 2007 QuoteAny, they are honors Jr.s and Sr.s. As long as it's not risque. I was thinking more rockque.... I might have a few....Scars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #9 February 26, 2007 Quotewhere two things that are related, but have nothing directly to do with each other. I have seen hundreds posted here before for laughs but can't find any right now for some reason. For example, a bad example, an article that says that ice cream consumption is related to the number of drownings in a summer, but where it's obvious there are other factors... like perhaps that is because they both are affected by warm weather and increased swimming because of it. I am trying to show something to my journalism class that I am teaching. It brings up the question of validity. As you point out, yes, ice cream consumption is up in the summer as well as drowning. Duh. Warm weather is the factor in both. Neither is related to each other. I bet studies could show drowning are up during summer break. They did a study on yellow versus red fire engine. Studies showed people paid more attention to yellow fire engines than red. Okay, but why? Was it because they were yellow or becaus they were different. If they followed these findings and switched to yellow firetrucks would people grow use to them and ignore them as the did red firetrucks when they become common place? Get a pysch book and read about validity. It will explain why this is not a good comparison steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
