Chapters · 6 of 9

About 14 min · Lesson and activity

Chapter 6 of 90 complete

Show Sample Size, Missing Data, and Blind Spots

Print the thing next to the number that stops it being misread.

See the situation

Start with the situation below. Next, we will work through an example together before you try the activity.

Elena · Reporting lead

The case

One finding, three framings, all true

Show counts and the absolute difference beside relative claims. Disclose the window and important blind spots.

As a difference: A couple of points apart
As a ratio: Almost twice as likely
With the sample size: A couple of points apart, on small groups
Arithmetically: All three identical
In a meeting: Three different decisions

Your task

Calculate the absolute and relative change. Include the sample size and missing-data limits.

Need a little guidance?

You’re done when: A reader can see how much evidence sits behind every displayed rate.

Large-looking percentages can hide tiny or biased populations.

Need a reminder? Reopen the worked example

Watch one example first

Moving from one success in 100 to two in 100 doubles the rate, but adds only one event and one percentage point. Both counts and denominators belong beside the claim.

Why this follows from the evidence

Relative change can sound dramatic when events are sparse. Disclose sample size, window, and capture limits before generalizing.

GTM Lab

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Case evidence

One finding, three framings, all true

As a difference: A couple of points apart
As a ratio: Almost twice as likely
With the sample size: A couple of points apart, on small groups
Arithmetically: All three identical
In a meeting: Three different decisions

Three sentences above describe one identical finding. All three are true. Choose which belongs in the brief, then decide where a caveat is needed and where it is noise.

Check the case below to save your activity result and this chapter’s prepared example plan section. You can inspect that template in the saved plan above; no live records are changed.

Inspect the prepared example

Calculate both framings, then disclose the sample

This comparison has three events in one hundred records versus five in one hundred. Show the absolute difference as well as the relative framing.

Group A

3 of 100 records

Group B

5 of 100 records

Calculated from the prepared counts: 3% versus 5%, a 2 percentage-point difference and about 67% relative increase from Group A.

Absolute differenceRelative difference from the 3% baseline

What belongs in a cautious caption?

Restoring this data activity…

Optional: compare alternative reasoning

The case tool above saves your result and completes this activity. These comparisons are extra practice; they do not change your saved plan.

Work the case · 0 of 3 sections drafted

Print the thing that stops it being misread

Compare these alternatives one section at a time. Check a choice to see its consequence; the draft summary below keeps the proposed changes together.

Step 1 of 3

Which framing goes in the brief?

Both: the multiple and the absolute difference, in one sentence, with the record counts.The absolute difference. It is the conservative statement.The ratio. It communicates the significance of the gap.

This is a proposed draft until the chapter check runs. Selecting a choice alone does not complete the chapter.

4b · Proposed

Metric definition draft

Metric definition draft · current draftCompare the original state with the proposed change. This preview does not change live records.

Metric definition draft · current draft
Item	Before	Proposed	Why
Which framing goes in the brief?	No saved change in this exercise draft	Not drafted yet	Choose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
Which metrics need a sample-size disclosure?	No saved change in this exercise draft	Not drafted yet	Choose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
What else travels next to a metric?	No saved change in this exercise draft	Not drafted yet	Choose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.

Which framing goes in the brief?: BeforeNo saved change in this exercise draft; ProposedNot drafted yet; WhyChoose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
Which metrics need a sample-size disclosure?: BeforeNo saved change in this exercise draft; ProposedNot drafted yet; WhyChoose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
What else travels next to a metric?: BeforeNo saved change in this exercise draft; ProposedNot drafted yet; WhyChoose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.

A choice appears here as a proposal, not as evidence that a live system changed.

Your place saves as you go.

Chapter 6 of 90 complete