Data in the News: Article from the Washington Post

Discussion topic 1:
Find an example of data in the news or on social media and share it in the Discussion Board. If you find your data in an online source, please include the link to the source in your post.
Describe the type of data in your example, and what questions you have around the validity of the data. Is there anything misleading or unclear about the way the data is presented?
Be sure to respond to at least one of your classmates’ posts.
Hint: Please be sure to review the week 1 LEARN section in Blackboard for further understanding about the types of data we have learned about so far.
Example:
Here is an example of what your post this week should look like. Your data sources and what you talk about may vary but use this as a general guideline to construct a successful post this week.
Hello Everyone,
After in-depth research, I have selected an article from the New York Times titled, See How Vaccinations are Going in Your County or State, that shares several examples of quantitative data (1). The ALEKS topic, Classification of variables and levels of measurement, really helped me to understand various types of data. I recognized this data as quantitative right away because it is numeric.
The article provides information on the people who have received the Covid-19 vaccine. It reports on people who have been fully vaccinated by Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose and people vaccinated by the two-dose series of Pfizer and Moderna. At the time of this article, 66% of the citizens in the U.S had 1 dose of a vaccine and 57% of the citizens were fully vaccinated. The article also shares that 84% of the citizens in the age range of 65 and up have been fully vaccinated and only 67% of citizens 12 and up have been fully vaccinated. This is significant because it shows that older citizens are more fully vaccinated when compared to younger citizens.
On questioning the validity of the article, I believe it is valid and reliable because the data comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is updated regularly. The scientists with the CDC follow the steps of a statistical study to conduct research. The New York Times also has a strong track record for reporting accurate data and information. Lastly, the purpose of the selected source is to keep readers informed on the number of vaccinated people in each state. Therefore, I find the content of the article to be credible and not misleading in any way.
Sources
1. New York Times. 2022. How Vaccinations are Going in Your County or State.
https://www(dot)nytimes(dot)com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html
Discussion topic 2:
Please complete the following:
Coach knows that picking the right players to work together can transform a football or racing team into champions. Finding the right players for your OWN team can help you reach success! However, how do you go about finding and selecting these crucial players, and how do you decide what roles they should play? This week, Coach shares his tips for scouting new talent for ANY team, plus the tools he uses to evaluate a team member's potential. Imagine you're looking for new team members to join your team (this could be a work, volunteer, or religious organization). After reviewing Coach's tips for hiring the best players for your team, which ones would you use to help find the right candidates? Why?
Be sure to respond to at least one of your classmates' posts.
EFFECTIVE TEAM
Most teams that successfully achieve their goals exhibit the following:
Unified Goal: Team members must understand the goal and be committed to working together toward that specific goal.
Clearly Defined Roles: Team members have a clear understanding of their own role and responsibilities in the team and also of their teammates’ roles and responsibilities. Clearly defined roles not only help group members to understand their job functions, but they also allow leaders to tap into the skills and talents of each group member.
High Performance: A objectively consistent level of excellence in all team members’ work.
Shared Commitment: All team members are invested in the team, trust each other, and believe their participation is important to the team’s success. As a result, they are satisfied with their situation and want to continue working together.
Mutual Accountability: Everyone on board shares a feeling of responsibility for generating results that goes beyond their specific work roles. This helps create a supportive environment within the team that starts with their shared commitment.
Celebrating All Success: Whether it’s a small step forward for one member of the team or a huge win for the group, smart teams acknowledge every gain made. One of Coach’s main principles as a leader is making sure that every team member knows how crucial they are to the team’s success. While a great leader knows how to deploy team members’ individual strengths to best benefit the team, he or she also understands and celebrates his team members' individual milestones just as heartily.
Open, Effective Communication: Candid feedback on performance is provided between team members, as well as by and to the leader, without fear of anger or retaliation for any kind of disagreement.
Group Chemistry: The team enjoys, values, and respects their working relationships. Simply put, they work well together!
Support and Trust: People help each other by listening, evaluating, offering ideas, encouraging experimentation and giving support.
Flexibility: When team members are able to adapt to changing dynamics or processes without fear or delay, they can more easily face challenges and embrace new opportunities. Ultimately, this allows the team to grow.
Everyone Gets a Say: Strong teams allow all members to discuss potential changes to a project, no matter what their position. That’s not to say that a decision has to be 100% approved by all members. But, a team leader has to give all members a chance to share their perspectives before making a decision either based on consensus or by acknowledging dissent.