Research Guides: Statistics: Getting Started

Using Statistics in Your Writing

Purdue OWL: Statistics and Visuals
A handout which explains how to write with statistics including quick tips, writing descriptive statistics, writing inferential statistics, and using visuals with statistics.
The Writing Center at UNC-CH: Statistics
How to use statistics to make your argument as effectively as possible; from The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Statistics Every Writer Should Know
The site describes itself as "a simple guide to understanding basic statistics, for journalists and other writers who might not know math"

What can statistics do?

Things You Need to Consider:

Statistics in and of themselves can't make the argument for you
Like direct quotations from outside sources, you must interpret statistics and apply them to the point you're making
Treat statistics as evidence that requires interpretation

Helpful Hints:

Sometimes statistics are buried within the text of a journal, magazine, or newspaper.

As you research, take the time to skim through your findings to discover potential sources of statistics.
Follow leads in the articles to locate other statistics.

Look in books and articles at graphs, charts, and diagrams to find statistical information.
Sometimes statistics are hidden within other articles but can't simply be found by searching "statistics."

When searching library databases, combine your topic search with a subject search for statistics.

Search Words:

Add these keywords to your topic searches to focus on statistics for your topic:

Search Examples: