JargonFile/entries/social science number.txt
2014-04-26 16:54:15 +01:00

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social science number
n. , // [IBM] A statistic that is content-free , or nearly so. A measure
derived via methods of questionable validity from data of a dubious and
vague nature. Predictively, having a social science number in hand is seldom
much better than nothing, and can be considerably worse. As a rule,
management loves them. See also numbers , math-out , pretty pictures.