Data Detectives Assignment.
From a recent publication, choose a factual claim that was not originally measured or estimated or created by the authors of that piece of work. In other words, choose a fact that has been re-used or cited. Trace this fact back in time to show how it came into being. Show how it was measured and/or estimated and/or created originally and comment on the appropriateness of this for the original use. Show steps taken to reconfigure the fact for some later uses, including in the recent publication you started with. Comment on the appropriateness of these reconfigurations. Comment on any discrepancies between the first reporting of the fact and later uses by other sources. Include a references list in the Harvard style. Notes: • The recent publication that ‘kick-starts’ your investigation can be anything published in the past twelve months – e.g. a report, academic paper, ministerial speech, or newspaper article. • The recent publication that ‘kick-starts’ your investigation must view your fact as ‘a fact’, even if one or more earlier references do not view it as a fact (e.g. an earlier reference may view the ‘fact’ as a prediction or a hypothesis). • Definition of Fact: “something that is known to have happened or to exist, especially something for which proof exists, or about which there is information” (Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus). • The reported fact can be qualitative or quantitative.