Can you speak the language of statistics in a public forum or do you clam-up? It’s one thing to pass a test or hand in a project. A written test is private and free from the scrutiny of critical eyes. No one can hear the crack in your voice or mispronunciations of the words. You don’t have people asking random questions that range from relevant to ridiculous. You are not standing before an audience or speaking in a meeting with important people. Written examination require you, your calculator, and a pencil or pen. There is no peanut gallery or naysayers around to test your limitations.
Speaking statistics in public is another story. Some people get tongue-tied. Others get stage fright and shut-down.Your mind is racing and its difficult to remember all of the terms and the meanings behind those words. It’s not that you don’t understand the material- you simply have failed to make the connection between active and passive knowledge. Passive knowledge is like ‘oh yeah I recognize this in my text book’. Active knowledge is when you can articulate without text books or notes. It’s the difference between knowing the alphabet and being able to speak full sentences. Your discussion of the statistics should incorporate test statistics, p-values, null hypothesis , and results into one logical interpretation. Your listeners are not focused on basic definition. Your audience wants to hear how you express yourself. How you hold your own in the face of opposition. So prepare…know your stuff…strut your stuff… and believe that your thoughts are valuable enough to be heard by the public.
If you enjoyed this blog there are more to follow-Amy
