This week we read about statistics and data analysis. Who knew there were so many ways to lie with statistics? I know it's done all the time, for example to sell things, but I was honestly surprised there were so many different ways to do it. Math and numbers have never been my strong suit and I never took a statistics course in college, so the first part of the lecture was kind of overwhelming. I liked the second part better; about statistical testing and inferential statistics, which are about relationships between variables. I can understand things like testing hypotheses and probability a lot better than dispersion and curves, where you have to use formulas to makes sense of them. That's just me though. Although, as with anything, I have to actually do something to really understand it. I think I would find it interesting to use statistics in a library study; to see what's "normal" for a specific group of library users in trying to complete some task or other.
It's almost time for our conference proposals. I am enjoying this assignment because, I assume, I will have to do this for real at some point in my career. Like I said earlier, I learn more by doing than by reading about it, so I feel this is really helping me. After this class is over, it's time to find a job. I'm really looking forward to it but also nervous as hell. I think I need to take some interview lessons...
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