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Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency Sixth Edition (2017) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Pages 1-4

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From page 1...
... Even more broadly, the effective operation of a democratic system of government depends on the unhindered flow of impartial, scientifically based statistical information to its citizens on a wide range of issues, including employment, growth in the economy, the cost of living, crime victimization, family structure, physical and mental health, educational attainment, energy use, and the environment. In the United States, federal statistical agencies, such as the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S.
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From page 2...
... An agency builds credibility by widely disseminating its data in accessible and easy-to-use ways on an equal basis to all users. Also essential to building credibility are for an agency to be open and transparent about its data sources and their limitations, demonstrate understanding of users' needs and priorities, fully document the processes used to produce and disseminate statistical products, and take proactive steps to preserve data for future use.
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From page 3...
... Protection from undue outside influences requires that a statistical agency have authority for professional decisions on its programs, including authority over the selection and promotion of staff; the processing, secure storage, and maintenance of data; and the timing and content of data releases, accompanying press releases, and documentation. The credibility that comes from independence is essential for users to maintain confidence in the accuracy and objectivity of a statistical agency's data and for data providers to be willing to cooperate with agency requests.
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Key Terms

  • data providers
  • federal statistical
  • statistical agencies
  • multiple data
  • statistical information

  • undue external
  • data releases
  • evaluate data
  • data users
  • providers data

  • data quality
  • based statistical
  • trustworthy statistical
  • family structure
  • principled operation

  • monitoring key
  • crime victimization
  • evaluation program
  • work closely
  • thirteen practices

  • widely disseminating
  • principal function
  • including employment
  • external evaluation
  • meet user

  • describe trends
  • facilitate understanding
  • information collected
  • carefully assessing
  • health statistics


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