Information

Now,

collecting data is not the same as collecting things

When people collect things, like stamps

or stickers or cards,

or toys or antiques,

everyone can clearly see what they are collecting.

But when they are collecting information,

data

that is usually a lot more slippery.

Information is seen as the answer to

a number of questions about something

and the way that the question is asked

can affect the answers that are given.

People often want data

about something they are interested in

and perhaps would like the answers to agree with

what they already think about the subject.

And some people might do that on purpose,

so that they can use the answers they collect

to appear to agree with what they thought in the first place

and persuade others to think they are right.

But even with good intentions, it's easy to miss personal bias

Good data needs self-examination

and self-questioning on the part of the one asking the questions.

And it's not just the questions that affect the outcome.

The way that information is organised

grouped

can affect the way that it is understood

Labels can define the way that things are seen or understood,

and the meaning that can be taken from results.

Even with graphs and charts

people need to be aware of how different display units or ranges

can give very different impressions

using the same data.

The key to getting good answers when interpreting data

is to look for the ways it might be biased through the questions

or the labels or categories on which it is based

and even the way that it is displayed.

And especially when the data relates to answers

given by people about what they think

it is important to think about things

that might have affected the way that people answered,

the context of the questions.

All sorts of things in the world around them

can affect the way that people feel and think,

and answer questions.

Social political and cultural surroundings, can change a context,

or people might lie about their answers

because of shame or embarrassment.

And still to interpret data well,

it needs to be placed in a context of probabilities,

to take into account

any possible natural statistical variation in results.

There are so many different ways

in which apparently clear data can suggest misleading conclusions.

But humans know they have to do the best they can,

and muslims know that real truth comes only from God,

for God is the Truth.

Understanding what numbers say

Finding the best guess