Communicating statistics

Guidance on the GSS website:

• Writing about statistics
• Communicating quality, uncertainty and change
• Designing effective tables, graphs and maps
• Presenting and publishing statistics in spreadsheets
• Using social media to communicate statistics
• User engagement
• Advice on using statistics for policy professionals

Guidance from other sources:

• Style.ONS: a guide for writing about statistics
• The United Nations Economic Commission practical guides on Making Data Meaningful

Training courses advertised on the GSS website:

• Writing about statistics
• Writing about quality, uncertainty and change
• Introduction to data visualisation

The Good Practice Team (based in the Office for National Statistics but here to help everybody in the GSS) regularly reviews statistical publications. They give feedback to the producers with ideas for how they can improve their statistical communication.

Some of these reviews are done by the team and some are done through workshops (which the team used to call “scrums”).

In the workshops, participants review a statistical publication and suggest improvements. There are usually around six participants from across the GSS.  The team collate the feedback and send it back to the producer.

If you would like to nominate a publication to be reviewed please email gsshelp@statistics.gov.uk

Taking part in a workshop as a reviewer is a great development opportunity. They are advertised on our events page. Look for “Workshop to review and improve a statistical publication”.

The presentation champions work across the GSS to improve the presentation and dissemination of statistics. They meet regularly and share best practice.

Read more about the presentation champion network.