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Measuring and Communicating the Uncertainty in Official Economic Statistics

Author

Listed:
  • Mazzi Gian Luigi

    (Freelance consultant.)

  • Mitchell James

    (Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, 1455 E 6th St, Cleveland, Ohio, 44114, USA.)

  • Carausu Florabela

    (GOPA Luxembourg, Rue Luxembourg, Bereldange, 7240, Luxembourg.)

Abstract

Official economic statistics are uncertain even if not always interpreted or treated as such. From a historical perspective, this article reviews different categorisations of data uncertainty, specifically the traditional typology that distinguishes sampling from nonsampling errors and a newer typology of Manski (2015). Throughout, the importance of measuring and communicating these uncertainties is emphasised, as hard as it can prove to measure some sources of data uncertainty, especially those relevant to administrative and big data sets. Accordingly, this article both seeks to encourage further work into the measurement and communication of data uncertainty in general and to introduce the Comunikos (COMmunicating UNcertainty In Key Official Statistics) project at Eurostat. Comunikos is designed to evaluate alternative ways of measuring and communicating data uncertainty specifically in contexts relevant to official economic statistics.

Suggested Citation

  • Mazzi Gian Luigi & Mitchell James & Carausu Florabela, 2021. "Measuring and Communicating the Uncertainty in Official Economic Statistics," Journal of Official Statistics, Sciendo, vol. 37(2), pages 289-316, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:offsta:v:37:y:2021:i:2:p:289-316:n:10
    DOI: 10.2478/jos-2021-0013
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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