Posts from October 2017 (33)

A question that is very unlikely to be interesting: were there more cellphone-related injuries in Dunedin or Auckland last year?

Auckland has a lot more people. Of course it has more cellphone-related injuries.

A question that is moderately unlikely to be interesting, but, ok, you might need to write a story: were people in Auckland more likely to have cellphone-related injuries than people in Dunedin?

So, where the Herald website (and presumably the ODT originally) has

In the three years to the end of 2016, ACC received 23 claims for cellphone injuries from Dunedin people and paid claimants a total of $10,436…

Statistics provided by ACC show Aucklanders made the highest number of claims at 190, costing a total of $76,159

the second paragraph might be better as

Although Auckland has more than ten times as many people, the home of the Vodafone Warriors had only 190 claims, costing a total of $76,159

(Someone who can actually write might do better than me here. )

Each week, we would like to invite readers of Stats Chat to submit nominations for our Stat of the Week competition and be in with the chance to win an iTunes voucher.

Here’s how it works:

• Anyone may add a comment on this post to nominate their Stat of the Week candidate before midday Friday October 6 2017.
• Statistics can be bad, exemplary or fascinating.
• The statistic must be in the NZ media during the period of September 30 – October 6 2017 inclusive.
• Quote the statistic, when and where it was published and tell us why it should be our Stat of the Week.

Next Monday at midday we’ll announce the winner of this week’s Stat of the Week competition, and start a new one.

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If you’d like to comment on or debate any of this week’s Stat of the Week nominations, please do so below!