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The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers
People who work well with numbers are often stymied by how to write about them. Those who don't often work with numbers have an even tougher time trying to put them into words. For instance, scientists and policy analysts learn to calculate and interpret numbers, but not how to explain them to a general audience. Students learn about gathering data and using statistical techniques, but not how to write about their results. And readers struggling to make sense of numerical information are often left confused by poor explanations. Many books elucidate the art of writing, but books on writing about numbers are nonexistent.
Until now. Here, Jane Miller, an experienced research methods and statistics teacher, gives writers the assistance they need. The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers helps bridge the gap between good quantitative analysis and good expository writing. Field-tested with students and professionals alike, this book shows writers how to think about numbers during the writing process.
Miller begins with twelve principles that lay the foundation for good writing about numbers. Conveyed with real-world examples, these principles help writers assess and evaluate the best strategy for representing numbers. She next discusses the fundamental tools for presenting numbers—tables, charts, examples, and analogies—and shows how to use these tools within the framework of the twelve principles to organize and write a complete paper.
By providing basic guidelines for successfully using numbers in prose, The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers will help writers of all kinds clearly and effectively tell a story with numbers as evidence. Readers and writers everywhere will be grateful for this much-needed mentor.
Until now. Here, Jane Miller, an experienced research methods and statistics teacher, gives writers the assistance they need. The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers helps bridge the gap between good quantitative analysis and good expository writing. Field-tested with students and professionals alike, this book shows writers how to think about numbers during the writing process.
Miller begins with twelve principles that lay the foundation for good writing about numbers. Conveyed with real-world examples, these principles help writers assess and evaluate the best strategy for representing numbers. She next discusses the fundamental tools for presenting numbers—tables, charts, examples, and analogies—and shows how to use these tools within the framework of the twelve principles to organize and write a complete paper.
By providing basic guidelines for successfully using numbers in prose, The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers will help writers of all kinds clearly and effectively tell a story with numbers as evidence. Readers and writers everywhere will be grateful for this much-needed mentor.
312 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2004
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92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 10, 2010
My boss gave me this book for Christmas. (I initially wondered if she might be sending me a not-so-flattering message, but luckily she was handing them out to everyone in the office.) Overall it is quite good; a bit obvious in places, and irritatingly breaking some of its own advice regarding tables and charts, but there are useful tips and concepts mixed in there. Each chapter includes a brief checklist/ summary at the end which make it more user-friendly as a reference while actually writing.
In addition, it helped me to finally realize something I should have years ago. Most of my education was devoted to poking holes in research and common assumptions, recognizing flaws and determining whether they were large enough to discount findings or entire theories. I've always expected everyone to do the same and so try to include in my reports much of the information that I'd like to see in order to assess a study. But given my current audiences, this is overkill; while I wish my readers looked at my work critically, they really don't, and seemingly will trust my results without any evidence that they're methodologically sound or that I didn't just make them up. (My policy recommendations receive much more scrutiny, but I DO just make them up, so more power to 'em.)
It also occurred to me while reading the very first chapter that I’ve never received any instruction in expository writing. Well, I suppose I was told to write in paragraphs and such in school, but I never received any explicit instruction toward increasing the effectiveness of my writing other than the occasional comment on a term paper. My teachers likely were spending their time on students who needed more remedial help than me, and it never would have crossed my mind to seek out a class given how tiresome and unhelpful I found creative writing classes and workshops. I should rectify this someday.
In addition, it helped me to finally realize something I should have years ago. Most of my education was devoted to poking holes in research and common assumptions, recognizing flaws and determining whether they were large enough to discount findings or entire theories. I've always expected everyone to do the same and so try to include in my reports much of the information that I'd like to see in order to assess a study. But given my current audiences, this is overkill; while I wish my readers looked at my work critically, they really don't, and seemingly will trust my results without any evidence that they're methodologically sound or that I didn't just make them up. (My policy recommendations receive much more scrutiny, but I DO just make them up, so more power to 'em.)
It also occurred to me while reading the very first chapter that I’ve never received any instruction in expository writing. Well, I suppose I was told to write in paragraphs and such in school, but I never received any explicit instruction toward increasing the effectiveness of my writing other than the occasional comment on a term paper. My teachers likely were spending their time on students who needed more remedial help than me, and it never would have crossed my mind to seek out a class given how tiresome and unhelpful I found creative writing classes and workshops. I should rectify this someday.
July 17, 2019
A very long read but worth it.
July 20, 2024
As a Master's student (with a non-native English background), I found the book on the Internet whose content is really helpful for my thesis which used quantitative methodology. It did a good job of writing about numbers. It has a short-page number like a handbook. The written language is concise, clear and easy to understand. At first glance, the author provides the principles of writing about numbers which seems.....(too) simple. However, when I reread this book in order to check its content and compare it to a quantitative research guideline textbook, I found that the book is profound in the art of communication by numbers. Overall, the authors delivered successfully the message of which the importance of understanding the numbers and the terms/ definitions of statistics language so as to equip the writer with the (numbers) vocabulary to excel in their writing. It helps me to write the numbers better and deliver my thoughts more clearly on my paper (and my supervisor is also happy to read it). I wish I had known this book earlier.
August 28, 2020
Although it contains useful advice, it is way longer than it needs to be. At times, painfully obvious.
August 3, 2009
I identifed this book as a possible textbook for a class I may be teaching in the future, and it did not disappoint. It is a clear guide on how to write about numbers; create tables, charts, and graphs; and explain numeric information in written and oral presentations. For the most part, it was understandable to anyone (regardless of your math background), but I admit there were a few difficult pages when the author got way too deep into statistics.
September 19, 2015
This book was helpful in order to improve writing number for statistical research.
May 1, 2016
Easy read, thankfully, since I was using it as a guide for writing my first research paper in graduate school. I definitely recommend it for any other students embarking on research projects.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews