Statistics in Government

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Describe the fundamental issues underlying the organisation of Official Statistics and be able to apply this knowledge in discussing the relative merits of alternative approaches.
• Explain the role that collaboration, peer review, openness and the development and application of international standards and classifications play in enhancing the value of official statistics.
• Apply procedures for measuring and understanding data quality in official statistics and use these processes for monitoring and improvement.

An overview of official statistics, their importance for informing policy and identifying important trends in the economy and society.

The defining documents of official statistics including: the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, statistical frameworks and national statistical laws.

Standards for good statistical practice, including formal codes of practice and the roles that they play.

The importance of statistical quality and how quality reviews improve official statistics.

Conceptual frameworks, methodological standards and classification systems.

The organisation and management of statistical organisations – centralised and de-centralised systems. The role of professional bodies and supranational organisations.

The history of official statistics.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.