How to read the data
Before you draw a conclusion from a figure, a chart or a quotation, check what exactly it shows. This short list helps to separate the source record from calculations and interpretation.
Four questions to ask of every result
- Where does the information come from? Open the document or record indicated next to the result. Look out for a label marking AI or a heuristic rule. A claim that can be checked is not the same as a claim that is true.
- What period and what material does it cover?Check the parliamentary term, the date of the event and the range of the analysis. The date on which a summary was generated does not confirm how fresh the source is. An analysis of selected statements does not describe the whole of an MP's activity.
- How many observations were compared? Look for the sample size (n), the period, the definition of the indicator and the stated uncertainty. When that information is missing, do not fill it in yourself. Two figures from different periods or different sets need not be comparable.
- What does the scale mean? A percentile describes a position within the comparison set, not an absolute score of 0-100. Neither the colour of a chart nor a ranking replaces the definition of the feature being measured.
Before you quote
Compare the passage with the text around it: who was speaking, when, and what was the discussion about? Keep the link to the specific analysis and to the source. In what you publish, keep the quotation and the figures separate from your own commentary or that of AI.