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| 56065 | how do we choose metrics? | how-do-we-choose-metrics | wp_block | publish | <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For each topic, we work to provide the best metrics to understand it. What metrics are 'best' will often depend on our specific questions. Overall, a metric we provide will fit many of the following criteria:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It covers large parts of the world. </strong>True to our name, we seek metrics which cover as much of the world as possible. Only then can they help us understand global differences and changes.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It covers a lot of time. </strong>This means both that the measure goes as far back in time as possible, and that it is as recent as possible. It then can help us understand both historical and very recent developments.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It is comparable across time and space</strong>. This means that we prefer metrics that can be compared across years and countries. This allows us to evaluate whether countries are making progress or falling behind, and how countries are doing relative to another.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It captures what we are trying to measure</strong>. This means that the metric does not give an incomplete or misleading answer to the question we have. For example, an inadequate measure for whether a country is a democracy is the share of the population that voted. Looking only at voter turnout ignores whether citizens had more than one choice at the ballot box. And at the same time, it inadvertently considers citizens that were coerced to vote.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It is reliable.</strong> This means that the metric is consistent, i.e. it captures the phenomenon similarly when measured repeatedly, and therefore is precise, and captures the phenomenon with little error. A consistent and precise metric makes us more confident in what it tells us about the world.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>Its construction is transparent.</strong> This means that we prefer metrics that come with a detailed description of how it was constructed, why it was constructed in this way, and with the underlying code and raw data. We, and you as our reader, then can evaluate its strengths and weaknesses in detail.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It is easy to understand</strong>. This means that the metric captures something that people are broadly familiar with, and they can broadly make sense of its construction. It then can provide answers that people beyond experts can learn from.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It is maintained well.</strong> This means that the data source updates the metric frequently, and provides reasonably up-to-date data. We often favor data from international institutions (such as the World Bank and the UN) and research institutions (such as the Global Carbon Project and the Varieties of Democracy project) over data from individual academic publications, because the former have the mandate and resources to keep this data up-to-date.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>Its values differ a lot from the same measure by another trusted source.</strong> This means a metric captures disagreement across sources. It then helps us to be appropriately uncertain of our answers in light of disagreeing sources.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>It is accessible.</strong> This means that the data is published in a publicly accessible document and is licensed to be reused by us and preferably others. Only then can it help people answer their questions, on and beyond our site.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li><strong>We have the tools to visualize it. </strong>This means a metric is structured such that our in-house visualization tool — the <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/owid-grapher">Our World in Data Grapher</a> — can display its information well. For example, our maps are set up to visualize national data, and currently cannot display metrics at the sub-national level or gridded data.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The topics and metrics we present are not set in stone, and we keep thinking about which ones to add. So if you think a topic or metric fits the criteria outlined here, please reach out to us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> | {
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For each topic, we work to provide the best metrics to understand it. What metrics are 'best' will often depend on our specific questions. Overall, a metric we provide will fit many of the following criteria: * **It covers large parts of the world. **True to our name, we seek metrics which cover as much of the world as possible. Only then can they help us understand global differences and changes. * **It covers a lot of time. **This means both that the measure goes as far back in time as possible, and that it is as recent as possible. It then can help us understand both historical and very recent developments. * **It is comparable across time and space**. This means that we prefer metrics that can be compared across years and countries. This allows us to evaluate whether countries are making progress or falling behind, and how countries are doing relative to another. * **It captures what we are trying to measure**. This means that the metric does not give an incomplete or misleading answer to the question we have. For example, an inadequate measure for whether a country is a democracy is the share of the population that voted. Looking only at voter turnout ignores whether citizens had more than one choice at the ballot box. And at the same time, it inadvertently considers citizens that were coerced to vote. * **It is reliable.** This means that the metric is consistent, i.e. it captures the phenomenon similarly when measured repeatedly, and therefore is precise, and captures the phenomenon with little error. A consistent and precise metric makes us more confident in what it tells us about the world. * **Its construction is transparent.** This means that we prefer metrics that come with a detailed description of how it was constructed, why it was constructed in this way, and with the underlying code and raw data. We, and you as our reader, then can evaluate its strengths and weaknesses in detail. * **It is easy to understand**. This means that the metric captures something that people are broadly familiar with, and they can broadly make sense of its construction. It then can provide answers that people beyond experts can learn from. * **It is maintained well.** This means that the data source updates the metric frequently, and provides reasonably up-to-date data. We often favor data from international institutions (such as the World Bank and the UN) and research institutions (such as the Global Carbon Project and the Varieties of Democracy project) over data from individual academic publications, because the former have the mandate and resources to keep this data up-to-date. * **Its values differ a lot from the same measure by another trusted source.** This means a metric captures disagreement across sources. It then helps us to be appropriately uncertain of our answers in light of disagreeing sources. * **It is accessible.** This means that the data is published in a publicly accessible document and is licensed to be reused by us and preferably others. Only then can it help people answer their questions, on and beyond our site. * **We have the tools to visualize it. **This means a metric is structured such that our in-house visualization tool — the [Our World in Data Grapher](https://ourworldindata.org/owid-grapher) — can display its information well. For example, our maps are set up to visualize national data, and currently cannot display metrics at the sub-national level or gridded data. The topics and metrics we present are not set in stone, and we keep thinking about which ones to add. So if you think a topic or metric fits the criteria outlined here, please reach out to us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). | {
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