Abstract
This essay presents data from a census of statistics requirements and offerings at all 4-year journalism programs in the United States (N = 369) and proposes a model of a potential course in statistics for journalism majors. The author proposes that three philosophies underlie a statistics course for journalism students. Such a course should (a) represent a statistics course with journalism, not a journalism course seasoned with a few statistics; (b) encourage awareness of error and skepticism of omniscience of official figures; and (c) cultivate statistical enthusiasts, not formulae repositories. Findings report students in just one fifth of U.S. journalism programs are required to take statistics, and none of those programs offer a course within their own academic unit that fulfills a traditional statistics requirement.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 461-479 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | Journalism and Mass Communication Educator |
| Volume | 72 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs |
|
| State | Published - Nov 1 2017 |
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Keywords
- Curriculum
- Data
- Journalism
- Numeracy
- Statistics
- Undergraduate education
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Communication
- Education
Cite this
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A census of statistics requirements at U.S. journalism programs and a model for a “statistics for journalism” course. / Martin, Justin D.
In: Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, Vol. 72, No. 4, 01.11.2017, p. 461-479.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
TY - JOUR
T1 - A census of statistics requirements at U.S. journalism programs and a model for a “statistics for journalism” course
AU - Martin, Justin D.
PY - 2017/11/1
Y1 - 2017/11/1
N2 - This essay presents data from a census of statistics requirements and offerings at all 4-year journalism programs in the United States (N = 369) and proposes a model of a potential course in statistics for journalism majors. The author proposes that three philosophies underlie a statistics course for journalism students. Such a course should (a) represent a statistics course with journalism, not a journalism course seasoned with a few statistics; (b) encourage awareness of error and skepticism of omniscience of official figures; and (c) cultivate statistical enthusiasts, not formulae repositories. Findings report students in just one fifth of U.S. journalism programs are required to take statistics, and none of those programs offer a course within their own academic unit that fulfills a traditional statistics requirement.
AB - This essay presents data from a census of statistics requirements and offerings at all 4-year journalism programs in the United States (N = 369) and proposes a model of a potential course in statistics for journalism majors. The author proposes that three philosophies underlie a statistics course for journalism students. Such a course should (a) represent a statistics course with journalism, not a journalism course seasoned with a few statistics; (b) encourage awareness of error and skepticism of omniscience of official figures; and (c) cultivate statistical enthusiasts, not formulae repositories. Findings report students in just one fifth of U.S. journalism programs are required to take statistics, and none of those programs offer a course within their own academic unit that fulfills a traditional statistics requirement.
KW - Curriculum
KW - Data
KW - Journalism
KW - Numeracy
KW - Statistics
KW - Undergraduate education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047420809&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85047420809&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1077695816679054
DO - 10.1177/1077695816679054
M3 - Comment/debate
AN - SCOPUS:85047420809
VL - 72
SP - 461
EP - 479
JO - Journalism and Mass Communication Educator
JF - Journalism and Mass Communication Educator
SN - 1077-6958
IS - 4
ER -