Link here for slides with active hyperlinks: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hEcvwWn5F_QM0RMUpXhLkvw9Nnr8ZlV6KhrXzOpuIZM/edit?usp=sharing This slideshow helps students learn how to address the incorporation of statistics into their research writing.

1. Statistics in Research Papers
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2. Numbers help people
understand SCOPE
(how relevant is the size of this?)

3. Consider your research
Come up with a few statistics that you
want to search.
Consider each main topic within your
thesis statement. Can you come up with
different statistics to look for to match
each of them?
Design keyword searches for each
statistic that you want to find.
What numbers might provide scope to
your readers?
Is your topic or a problem within your
topic large and you want your reader to
see that?
Is your topic or problem within your
topic too small and you want your
reader to understand that?
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4. How do I search
best?
You have two choices!
Choice #1: search Google Images and type
in the keywords specific to your search and
add the term statistics
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Choice #2: go to a trusted
site that specializes in
statistics and search there

5. Sites that specialize in
statistics
These are only a few, you may find others!
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■ CIA World Factbook
■ WorldStatistics
■ Global Health Observatory (WHO)
■ NationMaster
■ Pew Research Center
■ Bureau of Economic Analysis
■ Bureau of Justice Statistics
■ Bureau of Labor Statistics
■ Bureau of Transportation Statistics
■ Census Bureau
■ Economic Research Service
■ Energy Information Administration
■ National Agricultural Statistics Service
■ National Center for Education Statistics
■ Internal Revenue Service: Tax Statistics (Statistics of Income, etc.)
■ National Center for Health Statistics (CDC)
■ NIH Institutes and Offices (for disease specific statistical information )

6. Numbers help people
understand STORIES
(why should I care?)

7. Now what to do?
Let’s make our reader care

8. My statistic that supports my thesis point:
Hurricane Sandy housing damage totals: N.Y.: 305,000 housing units damaged
or destroyed. N.J.: estimated 346,000 buildings damaged.
Sentence #1: Make the reader care
My “make the reader care” sentence(s):
Original sentence: Many homes are lost during hurricanes leaving people
homeless.
Revision sentence (switched “dead words” to more vivid words and informal
words to more formal words): Many homes are destroyed during hurricanes,
leaving families without their personal belongings and also leaving them with no
familiar place to return to and call their own for months or even years.
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9. Numbers help people
COMPREHEND
(what does this mean?)

10. Now what to do?
Let’s present the statistic

11. Sentence #2: Modify and provide a
“digestible” statistic (as needed)
Original statistic:
Hurricane Sandy housing damage totals: N.Y.: 305,000
housing units damaged or destroyed. N.J.:
estimated 346,000 buildings damaged.
Revision statistic (in a sentence form):
Within the states of New York and New Jersey,
approximately 650,000 homes were damaged during
Hurricane Sandy (“Hurricane Sandy’s Impact”).
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12. Now what to do?
Let’s attempt a comparison

13. Sentence #3: Provide a comparison
For a comparison, you can
✗ choose to offer a statistic in a different form
✗ present a comparison/contrast to a reference point that your audience will
understand
Different form (percentage versus whole number):
Imagine hearing that a certain number of people entered Auschwitz
concentration camp. Your brain needs to think about the number and picture
how large that is. Once your reader finds out that about 85% of those who
entered would perish, it offers a new perspective.
Compare/Contrast to a reference point:
Your audience may understand the size of local geography or the impact of
a more recent event or statistic. If you compare your number to that, it offers
a reference point that may help them to understand the significance.
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14. Comparison Examples:
Different form (percentage versus whole number):
The number of homes damaged represents only approximately 2.3
percent of the population within each of the two states (“States Ranked”).
However, the damage would have been centralized to specific regions
within the state causing great devastation in smaller pockets
Compare/Contrast to a reference point:
The number of homes damaged was lower than the number of homes
damaged during Hurricane Katrina, where 800,000 homes were damaged
(“Katrina Impacts”).
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15. Now what to do?
Let’s analyze

16. Sentence #4: State its meaning
Follow up to different form (percentage versus
whole number):
Since a minimal amount of the overall population was
impacted during Hurricane Sandy, it made it much easier for
the government in each state to allocate relief money to those
in need.
Follow up to Compare/Contrast to a reference
point:
While the numbers along the eastern seaboard did not reach
the loss suffered in the gulf for those who had endured
Hurricane Katrina, locals would still feel the effects for years.
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17. Now what to do?
Let’s predict

18. Sentence #5: Make a prediction
Prediction for different form (percentage
versus whole number):
As climate change worsens, states may be anticipating
disasters of stronger intensity and respond by ensuring
that relief costs are included within their annual budgets.
Prediction for Compare/Contrast to a
reference point:
Business owners may now seek insurance coverage that
is more comprehensive as a result, ensuring that future
disasters do not bankrupt or disable them to the point of
no return.
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19. Put it all together:
Sentence 1: Insert importance of the statistic here
Sentence 2: Insert the statistic/modified statistic here including an in-text or
parenthetical citation.
Sentence 3: Insert comparison/contrast (point of reference) OR the
percentage version here including an in-text or parenthetical citation. Insert a
new parenthetical citation, as needed.
Sentence 4: Analyze your statistic (what does it mean?)/Make a statement
about the impact here
Sentence 5: Insert prediction here
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20. Example 1:
Many homes are destroyed during hurricanes, leaving families without their
personal belongings and also leaving them with no familiar place to return to
and call their own for months or even years. Within the states of New York
and New Jersey, approximately 650,000 homes were damaged during
Hurricane Sandy (“Hurricane Sandy’s Impact”).The number of homes
damaged represents only approximately 2.3 percent of the population within
each of the two states (“States Ranked”). However, the damage would have
been centralized to specific regions within the state causing great devastation
in smaller pockets.Since a minimal amount of the overall population was
impacted during Hurricane Sandy, it made it much easier for the government
in each state to allocate relief money to those in need.As climate change
worsens, states may be anticipating disasters of stronger intensity and
respond by ensuring that relief costs are included within their annual budgets.
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Read over it and make
edits as needed to
create a good flow.
Look at all of the
writing you have done!

21. Example 2:
Many homes are destroyed during hurricanes, leaving families without their
personal belongings and also leaving them with no familiar place to return to
and call their own for months or even years. Within the states of New York
and New Jersey, approximately 650,000 homes were damaged during
Hurricane Sandy (“Hurricane Sandy’s Impact”). The number of homes
damaged was lower than the number of homes damaged during Hurricane
Katrina, where 800,000 homes were damaged (“Katrina Impacts”). While the
numbers along the eastern seaboard did not reach the loss suffered in the
gulf for those who had endured Hurricane Katrina, locals would still feel the
effects for years. Business owners may now seek insurance coverage that is
more comprehensive as a result, ensuring that future disasters do not
bankrupt or disable them to the point of no return.
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Read over it and make
sure that your
message leads your
reader to concepts
you want your reader
to consider or agree
with.

22. BIG
CONCEPT
If you used a general Google
search, ensure your source is
qualified by doing a little research.
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23. Sometimes you run into conflicting statistics (two different
numbers show as answers for the same search) – in this case,
you will determine which is the most reliable source and use
that statistic.
Statistics can be part of misinformation. At times, they can
be presented in misleading ways or they can even be made up.
In order to assure yourself that the statistics that you have
selected are reliable, use the following methods to check
their accuracy. Edit as needed
What can you find out about the
author or organization?
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24. TOOLS
∙ conduct a “linear search” or “read laterally. This is the process of searching outside of the source on the regular web
for the same information. Look for whether multiple sources published the same information. Look for whether the
URL domain is the same as within your article or whether it is slightly manipulated. Did they manipulate or amplify the
content found from other sources? Did they place it into false context? Is there an “about us” page, an author, a
publication date? If you search more more information on the author, is it readily available through a simple Google
search?
∙ Botometer this tool looks for bots and automated accounts on Twitter
∙ Reverse image search Compare if the image is the same as the original (it may be hard to find the original to
compare if the content was shared too widely)
∙ Watchdog and fact-checking sites (Factcheck.org, Snopes, etc.) - there are studies that indicate that even these may
be politically driven at times.
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SYSTEMATIC THOUGHT PROCESS
∙ Consider your emotional response If it is high, take a few minutes to consider whether you may be prey to
misinformation
∙ Consider whether it is hyper-partisan If it is extreme in its political spectrum, take a few moments and
consider whether you want something with this level of bias. If so, how will you balance it?
While it is not 100% guaranteed that you will identify misinformation, a heavy combination of
these techniques will help you.

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Some former student examples
Note: the actual statistics may have changed over time and these examples
are subject to student interpretation
“One in twenty-five adults in the United States will develop a serious
mental health condition that hinders everyday activities. This means that
roughly ten million people in the United States alone have a profound
mental health issue. In addition, one out of every five American adults
will, at some point in their life, experience a diagnosable mental illness
in a given year”("Mental Health").
This student (cited above) did a really good job breaking down the
numbers in varied ways to help make the statistic meaningful.

27. Examples
Note: the actual statistics may have changed over time and
these examples are subject to student interpretation
“The majority of the immigrants in the United States are
living in California and Texas. In California, there are almost
4.5 million immigrants (Krogstad). These statistics show that,
as many believe, Mexicans are the leading nationality in
immigration into the United States, although the majority of
the immigrants are legal. The stereotypes that the majority of
Mexicans come into the country illegally are false.”
This student (cited above) did many things right! He rounded
the number (which made it easy for the reader to understand,
allowing them to move on with their reading). He also
followed up with an explanation for the reader regarding the
fact that there is a misperception.
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Examples
Note: the actual statistics may have changed over time
and these examples are subject to student interpretation
“A study published in the American Economic Review reports that
applicants with Black-sounding names received 50% fewer callbacks
than those with white-sounding names”(Miah). How can the world, let
alone America, achieve equality if racism is still so prevalent? “Official
unemployment is nearly 50% higher for African Americans than for
whites. What’s most striking is that the Black middle class, including
those with Ivy League educations, are having a hard time finding
jobs”(Miah).

29. Three easy steps
locate write check
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Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
khornberger@palisadessd.org

31. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and released
these awesome resources for free:
✗ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
✗ Photographs by Death to the Stock Photo (license)
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