SIGMAAQL: QL in the Media

2012 QL in the Media Contest Rules

Once againin 2012, SIGMAA-QL is running a contest to find the best examples of the use and abuse of quantiative literacy in the media. All entries must by based on media published or disseminated no earlier than July 1, 2011. SIGMAA-QL will award prizes in the following categories.

Best use of QL in written or spoken media
Best use of QL in a graphic or video
Best learning moment: a misuse, abuse, or misrepresentation of quantitative information in the media that is particularly instructive
Best use of QL taken from the media in teaching: An assignment or classrom activity that employs quantitative information from the media particularly effectively

Anyone can enter the contest by sending an email to the Web Master containing

The contestant's name and contact information
A link or file of the media use of QL and/or the teaching materials.
Suggested category of the entry.
A brief description of why the entry is worthy of consideration.

Acceptance of entries for this year will end December 1. During the month of December, visitors to this site will be able to vote in each category, and the winner will be announced at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego, January 9-12, 2013. For ideas, see the entries from last year's contest, which are archived here.

QL in the Media Contest Entries

Today In Dishonest Fox News Charts

Entrant: Tom Pfaff
Category: Best learning moment
entry-20111214 image _contest/_images/20111214.jpg

Link to Original: Deceptive Graph
Description: Media Matters tracked down this glaring error in a line plot of US unemployment apparently broadcast by Fox News. Tom Pfaff, the entrant, notes that even the corrected plot offered by Media Matters is suspect, since the scale on the vertical axis is still chosen to amplify relatively small changes.