TY - JOUR

T1 - How statistical literacy, official statistics and self-directed learning shaped social enquiry in the 19th and early 20th century

AU - Lancaster, Gillian

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Statistical literacy is important for understanding the world around us. Statistical thinking is motivated by realworld problems which may in turn promote the development of new methods of enquiry, and statistical reasoning may be regarded as the cornerstone of evidence based research. In this paper we see how statistical literacy, official statistics and data driven selfdirected study helped to shape social enquiry in the nineteenth century, led to the development of statistical methods forsocial data and ultimately contributed to the newly emerging science of statistics of the early twentieth century. In particular the innovations of social researchers in assessing poverty, deprivation and illhealth are highlighted.

AB - Statistical literacy is important for understanding the world around us. Statistical thinking is motivated by realworld problems which may in turn promote the development of new methods of enquiry, and statistical reasoning may be regarded as the cornerstone of evidence based research. In this paper we see how statistical literacy, official statistics and data driven selfdirected study helped to shape social enquiry in the nineteenth century, led to the development of statistical methods forsocial data and ultimately contributed to the newly emerging science of statistics of the early twentieth century. In particular the innovations of social researchers in assessing poverty, deprivation and illhealth are highlighted.

U2 - 10.3233/SJI-2011-0731

DO - 10.3233/SJI-2011-0731

M3 - Journal article

VL - 27

SP - 99

EP - 111

JO - Statistical Journal of the International Association for Official Statistics

JF - Statistical Journal of the International Association for Official Statistics

SN - 1875-9254

IS - 3-4

ER -