Many newspapers do not include margins of error with large amounts of data. They correctly
or incorrectly believe that readers will recognize that all surveys have a margin of
error. Most readers are confused by MOEs and do not understand the relevance.
Bob Lord
Senior Research Analyst
From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of
Liang.Long(a)dot.gov
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 2:38 PM
To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net
Subject: RE: [CTPP] Mapping America using ACS2005-2009 from NY Times
Margins of error around ACS 5-year estimates is about 1.75 times as large as those
associated with the 2000 Census Long Form estimates. I assume NY Time's maps
(percentage changes) already accounted for MOEs. But it would be nice to put a MOE note
for those absolute numbers they are presenting.
From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of
Nancy Jones
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 12:14 PM
To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net
Subject: RE: [CTPP] Mapping America using ACS2005-2009 from NY Times
Hi Liang and others:
I agree that the interactive map they put together is amazing. However, I am interested
to know what everyone thinks about their exclusion of margins of error. Note, they did
present change since 2000 for the measures they show, with no mention of MOE's.
Thoughts?
Nancy
Nancy Jones
Data Manager
Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance - Jacob France Institute
University of Baltimore
http://www.ubalt.edu/bnia<http://www.bniajfi.org/>
njones(a)ubalt.edu
410-837-4015
From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of
Liang Long
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 11:04 AM
To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net
Subject: [CTPP] Mapping America using ACS2005-2009 from NY Times
I was reading the NY Times on my way to work today and found out there are a serious of
articles about ACS2005-2009. The most amazing thing is that they developed this
interactive map at the Census Tract level for the whole nation. The maps show household
income, home value, education and race and ethnicity at each tract and also the percentage
change from the Census 2000.
Here is the link. You got to check this out!
http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/explorer?ref=us
Liang Long
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
4800 Hampden Lane
Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20814
tel 301 347 9141
fax 301 347 0101
FHWA 202-366-6971
e-mail llong(a)camsys.com
www.camsys.com
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