Australian Bureau of Statistics

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Understanding statistics
 





Module 1: Producing Data

2. Defining Data

Information can be expressed through numbers, words, and graphics. Often information is produced as a result of an investigation. An investigation provides a context/ system which gives meaning to the information.

Let's consider an example. Look at the information in the box below.




What we have here is information (i.e. numbers and words), not data. To make these words and numbers into data we have to set them into a context and we have to organise them into a system.


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