Review of <em>The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers</em> by Jane E. Miller

• Main Author: Neil Lutsky
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Numeracy Network 2009-01-01
• Series: Numeracy
• Subjects: writing; communication; numbers; quantitative literacy
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1936-4660.2.1.6

Miller, J. E. 2004. The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. 304 pp. Cloth $45 ISBN: 9780226526300, Softcover $17. ISBN: 9780226526317.The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers is a reference work suitable for anyone interested in understanding, using, or promoting quantitative thinking. Its primary aim is to identify and illustrate ways in which information associated with numbers can be conveyed most effectively given a particular communication purpose and context. The book is directed at writers who incorporate numbers in verbal or visual displays in documents, in oral presentations, or on the Web. The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers identifies overarching principles, offers concrete advice, and presents illuminating examples and models. The book can be used for instructional purposes for undergraduates, and a means of doing so is described. The review concludes by considering the book’s contributions to a wider call to help citizens write or argue more effectively by using numbers.