Headline assignment

Write an analysis of a current newspaper, journal, magazine, or online article that makes use of statistics.  

· You must analyze an "article", not an advertisement, product package, etc.  The article may or may not have a graph or graphic to accompany it; but there must be an article (it can't be a stand-alone graph or graphic).  

· This analysis is meant to bring to light all of the statistics in use in current events.  Many current events topics are controversial, but they are none-the-less important, so do not shy away from them.  Please keep your analysis focused on the statistics and their use/misuse, not on whether you agree or disagree with the author's point of view.

Since these articles are to be about CURRENT EVENTS, I will be checking the publication dates of the articles, and will only award half credit for analyses which do not adhere to the date requirements.

The written analysis should be 2 pages long and must include the following:

1. A brief summary of the article.

2. Identification of the statistical techniques or tools used (e.g. graphs, means, medians, standard deviations, percentiles, scatterplots, correlation, trends, . . .).

3. A critique of the article paying special attention the use and/or misuse of the statistical techniques or tools used, and the validity of the conclusions drawn by the author(s).

4. Attach a copy of the article or a link to the original source.