America's Most Literate Cities

[matguy7070]

Here's yet another poll ... yadda yadda yadda ...

:koko:

AMERICA'S MOST LITERATE CITIES 2006

America’s Most Literate Cities, 2006

This study attempts to capture one critical index of our nation’s social health—the literacy of its major cities (population of 250,000 and above). This study focuses on six key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources (introduced in the 2005 study).

This set of factors measures the practices of literacy--people's use of their literacy--and thus presents a complex and nuanced portrait of our nation’s cultural vitality. From this data we can better perceive the extent and quality of the long-term literacy essential to individual economic success, civic participation, and the quality of life in a community and a nation.

As I've mentioned before, the ranking is necessarily an interpretation of data. What matters most is not whether the rank ordering changes but what communities do to promote the kinds of literacy practices that the data track.


http://static.flickr.com/139/320868770_1312804201_o.jpg

[hydrobond]

BOTH Minneapolis and St. Paul in the top 5. Congrats.

[Wheelingman04]

^ They are great cities for sure.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Another day, another bullshit list.

[Xing]

Again, the Latino population at the base reveals the validity of the list. Proof be, if you can read in Spanish, you can still read. It doesn't make you illiterate if you can't read a book in English.

[Evergrey]

I'm suprised Cleveland beat Columbus... must be that crappy OSU education

[Blitz]

Sweet...Detroit is on the way up. Take that, Plano!!

[NanoBison]

Another day, another bullshit list.

I agree with you on that for sure. :yes:

[LMich]

Again, the Latino population at the base reveals the validity of the list. Proof be, if you can read in Spanish, you can still read. It doesn't make you illiterate if you can't read a book in English.

That's what I took away from it, too. In essence the message is that if you can read English, you don't count, whether or not you can actually read means nothing. I've come to the conclusion that more often than not these list do a lot more harm than good, and reinforce a lot of negatives for people that shouldn't have their views reinforced by anyone or any list. Does anyone remember how recently the "Most Dangerous Cities" list was revealed publically by the media to be complete crap?

[JivecitySTL]

Thiss iz gud nooz.

[Buckeye Native 001]

lololololol omg hax0r rotflmao.

Book readers (whatever your language) are such luddites. :rolleyes:

[mobyhead]

I'll read if there are lots of pictures and illustrations. See....

http://www.rare-posters.com/2865b.jpg

[Navin]

What's with the Spanish/English side discussion? None of the measured factors necessarily requires English literacy. Or maybe I'm not understanding you.

Newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources.

[rockyi]

I ain't much inta books 'n stuff.

[Wheelingman04]

^:haha:

[MayorOfChicago]

I'll read if there are lots of pictures and illustrations. See....

http://www.rare-posters.com/2865b.jpg


DICK LOOKS PISSED!!!

[PuyoPiyo]

^Frustrating :jester:

[Xing]

What's with the Spanish/English side discussion? None of the measured factors necessarily requires English literacy. Or maybe I'm not understanding you.

Newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources.

Right, that's what they say, but your bottom list is a bunch of cities with 20%+ Latino Populations. The Top 10 , except for Denver, are below 15% cities, with most being below 10% Latino, which is under the national average of 13%. That doesn't reek of bullshit ?

[Navin]

You've convinced me that it would be interesting to see more data or have it normalized for immigrant population (any non-English immigrant group). Do they include Spanish- or Chinese-language periodicals, for example? You haven't convinced me that it reeks of bullshit. :)

I can see a few correlations in the list: income/wealth, graduation rates. It's overkill to say that (1) the study failed to capture non-English literacy and (2) Latino populations determined the placement of the low-ranked cities.

[Xing]

You're right. At this point, I can't disprove the list, but I can convince you that there is something fishy about it.

[the pope]

You're right. At this point, I can't disprove the list, but I can convince you that there is something fishy about it.


i agree with your fishyness-o-meter

[Xing]

It's good to know I have the Catholic Church on my side.

[the pope]

peace be with you