Book Reviews – “Calling Bullshit” and “The Data Detective”

Abstract

While we as information professionals may feel confident in the world of words, it is easy to be duped by numerical nonsense. The words “Big Data” and “algorithm” are often accompanied by grandiose promises and daunting predictions. Dubious statistics and de-contextualised numbers flood social media and fast-news outlets. Two recent books offer an antidote - good old-fashioned quantitative reasoning.