Statistics for Public Policy: A Practical Guide to Being Mostly Right (or at Least Respectably Wrong)...

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Jeremy G. Weber

Statistics for Public Policy

A Practical Guide to Being Mostly Right (or at Least Respectably Wrong)

Jeremy G. Weber

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English

University of Chicago Press
13 February 2024

Central government policies; Econometrics; Economic statistics; Political economy; Probability & statistics

A long-overdue guide on how to use statistics to bring clarity, not confusion, to policy work.

Statistics are an essential tool for making, evaluating, and improving public policy. Statistics for Public Policy is a crash course in wielding these unruly tools to bring maximum clarity to policy work. Former White House economist Jeremy G. Weber offers an accessible voice of experience for the challenges of this work, focusing on seven core practices:

Thinking big-picture about the role of data in decisions

Critically engaging with data by focusing on its origins, purpose, and generalizability

Understanding the strengths and limits of the simple statistics that dominate most policy discussions

Developing reasons for considering a number to be practically small or large

Distinguishing correlation from causation and minor causes from major causes

Communicating statistics so that they are seen, understood, and believed

Maintaining credibility by being right (or at least respectably wrong) in every setting

Statistics for Public Policy dispenses with the opacity and technical language that have long made this space impenetrable; instead, Weber offers an essential resource for all students and professionals working at the intersections of data and policy interventions. This book is all signal, no noise.

By: Jeremy G. Weber
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 340g
ISBN: 9780226825656
ISBN 10: 0226825655
Pages: 192
Publication Date: 13 February 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Preface 1. The Big Picture 2. Know Your Sample and Data 3. Know Simple Statistics and Their Power 4. Know What It Means to Account for Potholes 5. Know Large from Small and Explain the Difference 6. Think Hard about Causality 7. Show That You’ve Been to Table School 8. Know How to Be Mostly Right (or at Least Respectfully Wrong) 9. Fail the Test? A Case Study in Using Statistics for Policy Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

Jeremy G. Weber is professor in the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He previously served as a chief economist for the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Reviews for Statistics for Public Policy: A Practical Guide to Being Mostly Right (or at Least Respectably Wrong)

"“Our statistical texts—and often our teaching—ignore the craft that makes quantitative evidence useful for policy makers. In Statistics for Public Policy, Weber draws on his own experience to address the nitty-gritty issues that advisors confront in honestly and effectively interpreting and presenting evidence.” -- David L. Weimer | University of Wisconsin-Madison “The best public policy advisers know how to blend statistical knowledge with an understanding of the context of issues. Weber uses his experience as a White House economist to explain how analysts can make sense of messy real-world data and maintain their credibility even if their numbers turn out to be wrong. Accessible and engaging, Statistics for Public Policy presents practical tips to improve the use of statistics and data in the policy world.” -- Eric M. Patashnik | coauthor of ""A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving"""