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I have been very remiss in answering LJ comments -- I'm sorry. I've read all of them...
There is one thing several people have commented on that I feel compelled to clear up: unfortunately, I did not originate "The plural of anecdote is not data." I have seen it mentioned a number of places around the web, and thought it was just one of those general aphorisms like "democracy is not a spectator sport" (nope, I didn't think up that one either) that one sees. I guess I see it often enough that it didn't occur to me that other people would be unfamiliar with the phrase.
I've never seen it attributed to anyone, and a Google search turns up confusion, but it seems to have been the work of nutritionist and pharmacologist Frank Kotsonis.
Someone commented in brian1789's journal that I had it wrong, that the quote really is "The plural of anecdote is data." While I have seen that, too, I happen to think it is wrong, for several important reasons, which I don't have the time to explain.
There is one thing several people have commented on that I feel compelled to clear up: unfortunately, I did not originate "The plural of anecdote is not data." I have seen it mentioned a number of places around the web, and thought it was just one of those general aphorisms like "democracy is not a spectator sport" (nope, I didn't think up that one either) that one sees. I guess I see it often enough that it didn't occur to me that other people would be unfamiliar with the phrase.
I've never seen it attributed to anyone, and a Google search turns up confusion, but it seems to have been the work of nutritionist and pharmacologist Frank Kotsonis.
Someone commented in brian1789's journal that I had it wrong, that the quote really is "The plural of anecdote is data." While I have seen that, too, I happen to think it is wrong, for several important reasons, which I don't have the time to explain.
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