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(a)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(a)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(a)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 ________________________________ Confidentiality Note: The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is committed to ensuring complete confidentiality of information for our customers. To this end, the information contained in this e-mail and/or document(s) attached is for the exclusive use by the individual named above and/or their organization and may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable information. If you are not the intended recipient, please refrain from reading, photocopying, distributing or otherwise using this e-mail or its contents in any way. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify me immediately. {MDA-2009}