AUTHORITATIVE

NUMBERS
Samantha Keyser

Authoritative Numbers
Authoritative numbers often derive from research
that has been accepted or reviewed by scholarly
journals.
Research studies submitted to journals are
examined through peer review.
Reviewers are the researchers peers.
Understanding and knowledge of topic
Qualified to judge and evaluate research and
findings

Peer review helps to ensure that the best research

will be published.
Authoritative numbers are statistics created by the
people who are considered to be authorities.
Statistics reach the public through a peer
review process that validates the accuracy of
the findings.

Obtained from Google

Images

Highlighting Results of Scientific

Research
Authoritative numbers should be evaluated cautiously.
Benefits of research publication:
News editors: highlight interesting and noteworthy research findings
Researchers: work can be seen by both the public and professionals.
Increased funding from organizations and government

Investors: money spent on the research has been worthwhile and

productive

Downside to research publication:

Journals are unlikely to publish studies that dont have impressive
numbers
News outlets wont discuss research that fails to show significant findings.
Researchers will present the findings in a way that highlights its most
impressive results

Bullying Statistics
What is
bullying?
Do any of these
numbers seem
unimpressive?
What are some
things that you
should consider
when looking at
these statistics?
Do any of these
numbers seem
exceedingly
high?

Obtained from Google Images

What
information
might be

Bullying Behaviors Among U.S.

Youth

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that

30% of students are affected by bullying.
Does this sound correct to you?
What are some factors or contributions that could account for this
high number?
Methodological Choices
Counting bullies and victims increased rate of bullying
Narrowing the definition and parameters of bullying would have
resulted in a smaller numbers
Combined responses of bullying for both in and out of school
increased bullying percentage
Findings resulted from the methodological choices and decisions of
the researchers.

Decisions and Choices

All research is based on choices
Topic to study
Methodological considerations
Sample size
Define and measure concepts
Considerations based on money, time, assistance, and resources

Different choices might lead to different findings

Replication studies and data compilation are performed to investigate
and research different choices.

Expansion of Scientific
Knowledge: Diverse Motivations
and
Agendas
Newspapers:
information the public reads on scientific advances and
discoveries is gathered from a single source and summarized.

Journalists: gradual gain in scientific knowledge is overshadowed by

research that presents new and impressive findings.
Media: cover research that has human interest and appeal. Highly
publicized research will resonate with views.
Scientists: want their research to be published, receive
acknowledgement, and to receive rewards of tenure, grants, and
promotions.

Ambiguities in Official
Recordkeeping

Obtained from Google Imag

Professionally gathered data can be misinterpreted.

Birth and death records compiled by the federal government
are a good example of complete and accurate authoritative
statistics.
The National Center for Health Statistics issues an annual
report of births and deaths.
CDC reported a rise in suicides between 1980 and
1995 among African American teenagers.
Possible Reasons:
post-traumatic slavery syndrome (selfdestructive behavior)
Family breakdown
Low economic opportunity
Undiagnosed depression
Grief from violence
Upwardly mobile stress
Increase might reflect the way the deaths of young African
Americans were treated and assessed by authorities.
Suicides not accidents or undetermined causes.

Conclusion:
Authoritative
Numbers

Every analysis requires the

researcher to chose what they are
going to count and how

These choices and decisions will

greatly influence the numerical
outcome.

The peer review process improves

the quality of published material

There are agreed upon standards

that published material and research
must have for evaluation

The question is not whether the data

is true, but rather how it was
produced.

Obtained from Google Images