Shortform Books

Misleading Statistics: Lying With Numbers

How do people mislead with statistics? What are some real-world examples of misleading statistics? Anyone with the will and a capable computer program can perform statistical analyses. This accessibility combined with the ease and speed of information sharing in our technology-oriented culture makes it easy for misleading statistics to make their way into our lives and inform our opinions or decisions. Keep reading to find out how you can avoid falling into the trap of misleading statistics.

Publication Bias in Research: Negative Findings

The 25 Cognitive Biases: The Lollapalooza Effect

What is publication bias in research? Why do researchers choose not to report negative findings? Publication bias occurs when the outcome of a research project influences the decision to publish it. Researchers and publishers may be more inclined to share positive research findings because they make for more attention-grabbing headlines. Here’s how publication bias can lead to inflated confidence in research findings.

Is Technology Distracting? Unfortunately, Yes

Is technology distracting? Is technology a personal or a societal issue? The book Stolen Focus by Johann Hari claims that technology contributes to society’s attention crisis. Hari argues that the technology we rely on tracks our every move and tailors the content we see to keep us hooked. Here’s how technology intentionally distracts you from things you need to focus on.

How to Be More Competent: 1 Crucial Behavior

What behaviors should you adopt to become more competent? How does demonstrating competence help others trust you? Author and former CEO Stephen Covey believes building competence relates to demonstrating trustworthy behaviors. In his book, The Speed of Trust, Covey explains that your most valuable interpersonal currency is having trust in your relationships. Read on to learn Covey’s advice on how to be more competent by building trust with others.

The Most Natural Ways to Increase Motivation

What are the best ways to increase motivation? How can you increase motivation the natural way? Goals feel impossible when you lack motivation and see no discernible way to get from where you are to where you want to be. In The Art of Impossible, bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and peak performance expert Steven Kotler draws on extensive neurobiological research to help readers learn ways to increase motivation and achieve seemingly impossible goals. Keep reading to learn Kotler’s way to increase motivation, according to how your brain naturally works.

Untangling Amyloid: Alzheimer’s Disease Hallmark?

How are amyloid plaques implicated in Alzheimer’s disease? How does amyloid build-up contribute to cognitive decline? An abundance of amyloid plaque in a person’s brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, but not all amyloid plagues are created equal. Recent research suggests that some types of amyloid plagues are actually benign and even protective. Here’s what we know about the role of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease.

Importance of Knowledge in Entrepreneurship

Is knowledge your secret weapon? How can you leverage your learning to strengthen your startup? If you have considerable or specialized knowledge, you have a leg up over the competition. Knowledge is one of the unfair advantages identified in the book The Unfair Advantage by entrepreneurs Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba. The authors discuss a potential drawback of knowledge, how to know if knowledge is your unfair advantage in particular, and how to improve and make the most of your knowledge. Continue reading to learn about the importance of knowledge in entrepreneurship.

Aristotle on Moral Virtue: A Journey of Habits

How can people become virtuous? What was Aristotle’s theory? A person can develop moral virtue, Aristotle says, through habit. This journey involves three main elements: achieving a mean between two vices, experiencing pain and pleasure, and acquiring moral education. Continue reading for an overview of Aristotle’s ideas about moral virtue as presented in his Nicomachean Ethics.

The Power and Importance of Big Data Analytics

What is the importance of big data analytics? How powerful is big data? In Everybody Lies, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz argues that one of the powers of big data is that it allows you to zoom in on specific subsets of data. This allows new insights and new types of studies. Learn more about how important big data is to various studies.

The History of Infectious Diseases in Eurasia

Can an epidemic be a good thing? What factors lead to the development and spread of infectious diseases in Eurasia? How did Eurasians become dangerous to the rest of the world? In his book Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond discusses how epidemic diseases were a blessing in disguise for Eurasian societies. Over time, Eurasians became immune to certain deadly diseases and were eventually able to wipe out entire populations without using physical weapons. Keep reading for the history of infectious diseases in Eurasia, and how it may have saved its population.