Statistical Literacy is a basic skill: the ability to think critically about arguments using statistics as evidence.
Statistics is becoming increasingly more important in modern society with passing time. We are constantly being bombarded with charts, graphs, and statistics of various types in an attempt to provide us with succinct information to make decisions. Sometimes this information is presented in a manner so as to sway us toward a particular view.
Statistics permeates all aspects of life—from education, work, media, and health, to citizenship. For example, most media reporting includes statistical references to health, social and demographic trends, education, and economics. The pervasiveness of statistics poses a problem, as statistics is a difficult discipline associated with misunderstandings, which ruin trust and lead to misgivings. Civic scientific literacy covers statistics insufficiently, both theoretically and empirically
In order to realistically understand the subject of statistics it is important to appreciate the rationale behind why and how statistics is used by the world, at large. That is, why do we need statistics anyway?
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