Page 264 - Statistics for Dummies

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Part V: Statistical Studies and the Hunt for a Meaningful Relationship
Surveying what’s hot
The topics of many surveys are driven by current events, issues, and areas of
interest; after all, timeliness and relevance to the public are two of the most
attractive qualities of any survey. Here are just a few examples of some of the
subjects being brought to the surface by today’s surveys, along with some of
the results being reported:
✓ Does celebrity activism influence the political opinions of the American
public? (Over 90% of the American public says no, according to CBS News.)
✓ What percentage of Americans have dated a co-worker? (A whopping
40% have, according to a career networking Web site.)
✓ How many patients surf the Web to find health-related information?
(55% do, according to a national medical journal.)
When you read the preceding survey results, do you find yourself thinking
about what the results mean to you, rather than first asking yourself whether
the results are valid? Some of the preceding survey results are more valid
and accurate than others, and you should think about whether to believe the
results first, before accepting them without question. Nationally known poll-
ing and research organizations such as those mentioned in the previous sec-
tion are credible sources, as well as journals that are peer-reviewed (meaning
all papers published in the journal have been reviewed by others in the field
and passed a certain set of standards). And the U.S. government does a good
job with their data collection as well. If you are not familiar with a group con-
ducting a survey and the results are important to you, check out the source.

Impacting lives

Whereas some surveys are just fun to look at and think about, other surveys
can have a direct impact on your life or your workplace. These life-decision
surveys need to be closely scrutinized before action is taken or important
decisions are made. Surveys at this level can cause politicians to change
or create new laws, motivate researchers to work on the latest problems,
encourage manufacturers to invent new products or change business policies
and practices, and influence people’s behavior and ways of thinking. The fol-
lowing are some examples of survey results that can impact you:

✓ Children’s healthcare suffers: A survey of 400 pediatricians by the
Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., reported that
pediatricians spend, on average, only 8 to 12 minutes with each patient.

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