I would be lying if I said I did not leap for joy at the idea of taking the last math class of my career in college, which happened to be a stats class. I was thrilled at the prospect of focusing all of my energy on reading, writing and communicating, but at the end of the semester, I realized just how important math can be to any major. Of course, I am not talking calculus here. This is not an endorsement of calculus.
Statistics are relevant to my general understanding of the world. Laura Miller, an English-major-turned-magazine-writer, argues in one of her articles that all college students should take a statistics class to develop their critical thinking skills, which Miller argues helps us to “criticize the ways we habitually think” about writing and life. She even admits as an English major that she wishes she would have taken a statistics class.
As an English major myself, I will be expected to read, write, analyze and think about logical arguments and artistic statements, and my ability to think about my thinking will be imperative. Statistics improved my skills to question the logic behind my thinking. Creating and testing claims is also helpful in writing since evidence and proper conditions are imperative to support arguments.
Statistics also teaches to avoid assumptions or irrational conclusions based on manipulated numbers. Miller discusses “just how much of the persuasion now aimed at the average citizen comes in the form of numbers,” conveying the importance of not being fooled by large averages or misleading probabilities. It is essential to be able to distinguish between statistical and practical significance to draw conclusions and defend opinions.
For humanities majors considering a career in law, statistics will be helpful in interpreting evidence in cases. There is even a class at Harvard Law School called “Analytical Methods for Lawyers” that covers the importance of statistics in business and economics, an essential area in which lawyers should be well-versed (Spier).
Statistics may additionally be used to prove that English majors can be successful in finding jobs and making money (Weissmann). Many people are often skeptical that humanities majors will find employment, but understanding data such as unemployment rates helps individuals interested in these areas to pursue their passions with confidence.
Do not be fooled, however; just because disciplines can overlap, as they should, does not mean they are the same. Despite the significance of statistics for English majors, there are some differences in acquisition of knowledge between the subjects. In statistics, one person’s experience is not enough from which to extract meaning. While English allows students to interpret and write about a single experience or example, the numerical, strategic and precise nature of statistics calls for more evidence before data manipulation and interpretation can occur.
Since statistics is mathematical, it also relies more on logic and concrete answers, while English is a much more creative and interpretive art form. English majors speculate possibilities through rhetoric, figures of speech and arguments; statisticians support and represent those speculations through hypotheses, numbers and calculations. Finally, English often develops into cause and effect writing, whereas statistics presents no real cause and effect but merely correlations.
I have found statistics to be relevant to both my major and my life in the 21st century age of unlimited information. The art of writing is supported by the structured ways of statistics, and as a writer, I am tasked with deciphering statistics to both ensure they are honest in their message and to make them more accessible to the greater public.
Good writing reaches across all disciplines, and, much to my own previously held beliefs, math should be no exception. It all adds up: writing is not meant to divide, but to subtract preconceived notions and multiply the world's knowledge. So math and writing as a dynamic duo? We have clearly already got that covered.
Miller, Laura. “Take a statistics and probability class in college to improve critical thinking skills.” Slate, The Slate Group, 31 August 2015, www.slate.com/articles/life/classes/2015/08/take_a_statistics_and_probability_class_in_college_to_improve_critical_thinking.html. Accessed 05 December 2017.
Spier, Kathryn. Analytical Methods for Lawyers. Harvard Law School, Fall 2012, hls.harvard.edu/academics/curriculum/catalog/index.html?o=64299. Accessed 05 December 2017.
Weissmann, Jordan. “The Best Argument for Studying English? The Employment Numbers.” The Atlantic, The Atlantic Monthly Group, 25 June 2013, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/06/the-best-argument-for-studying-english-the-employment-numbers/277162/. Accessed 05 December 2017.
