Strategies for public engagement with official statistics.

Abstract

High quality data are available on a very wide range of topics. However, there are barriers to be overcome before citizens engage with these data. First is access; data are often distributed across different websites. Second is exposure; data need to be presented in the most commonly used information sources. Third is engagement – creating a climate where citizens are interested in evidence. The House of Commons Library (Library) and Durham University are collaborating in order to promote better use of data. The Library is the first port of call for politicians; their blogs and tweets are a major information resource for journalists. A website created ahead of the UK general election provides a rich resource for data at constituency level. Quizzes have been created which run on smartphones, in an effort to engage a broader section of people in evidence-based discussions. We discuss strategies designed to encourage public engagement with official statistics.