A Census of Statistics Requirements at U.S. Journalism Programs and a Model for a “Statistics for Journalism” Course
- 19 November 2016
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journalism & Mass Communication Educator
- Vol. 72 (4), 461-479
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1077695816679054
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.Keywords
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