Presenting Economic Data and Information

Dates

April 15 - 19, 2013

Application deadline

March 15, 2013

Tuition

$2,400

Participants

This seminar is designed primarily for economists, statisticians, researchers, analysts, and managers working with price and labor statistics in national statistical programs. Participants should have an elementary knowledge of statistics.

Objectives

To strengthen participants' skills in effectively presenting and communicating economic data and information by:

  • Developing skills in presenting economic data to a wide audience
  • Developing skills in creating meaningful and clear tables, charts, and written analysis
  • Developing skills in writing and presenting metadata
  • Applying learned skills to improve their organization's data products

Program content

This seminar will draw on the experience of BLS staff and others in displaying and reporting statistical data. Effective tools and approaches to clearly and objectively presenting data to a variety of audiences and users will be discussed. BLS staff will share widely accepted best practices for creating data tables and graphs. Writing press releases, reports, and analytic articles will be discussed. Participants will apply the skills learned during the seminar to critique and improve existing data products published by their organization. Throughout the seminar, participants will be exposed to varied presentation vehicles and tips on how to create them. A discussion is included on the users of statistical data and the ways in which they use them, to highlight the benefits of clear and effective presentation of data. Workshops are included to put the skills learned into practice.

The seminar includes discussions on the following topics:

  • Analysis: The link between data and understanding
  • How does BLS report statistical data?
  • Visual presentation of statistics
  • Tabular presentation of statistics
  • Tools for analysis
  • Written analysis
  • Analysis in action - how the household labor force survey is reported and used
  • Understanding metadata
  • PowerPoint tips and tricks
  • Dissemination and tracking of data users
  • How analysis fits into policy formulation

Apply now

 

Last modified: November 21, 2012