Talking of RSS, the Royal Statistical Society is running a FREE workshop for journalists to help them get more out of the statistics in the public domain – “whether from government, other public bodies or the private sector.”

Editors – should you send hard-pressed reporters? Well, equipping reporters with the skills to knock down flip story ideas seems like a waste of time to me. They’ll only feel bad when made to do the story anyway.

Just kidding stats guys! Here is the blurb:

Focusing on real stories, topics include:

• surveys – are the conclusions reached really supported by the evidence?
• pilot studies – how can you know if a piloted policy really has made a difference?
• league tables – are the data any good? Is there really any news behind the figures?
• sample sizes, randomisation, confidence intervals – what the technical language means

You will get tips on asking searching questions and how to avoid statistical pitfalls and fallacies – all from leading statisticians with wide experience of working with the media.

Date: Monday, 26 November 2007

Time: Either 09:30 to 12:30
Or 14:00 to 17:00

There is no charge.

To register call Andrew Garratt on 020 7614 3920 or email a dot garratt AT rss dot org dot uk