When evaluating statistics, you should consider the following:
- Authority: Who collected and published this statistical data? What are their credentials?
- Completeness: What are the statistics being reported? What populations does it include?
- Relevance: Is the information relevant and current enough? Have older publications been updated?
- Rationale: For what purpose was this information collected? For what audience was it intended?
- Methods: What methodology was used to collect the statistics? Have the statistics been tested for validity?
