Using Flint, Michigan, Lead Data in Introductory Statistics

Although the use of real-world data sets is encouraged when teaching statistics, it can be difficult for instructors to find meaningful data for introducing students to univariate descriptive statistics such as the mean, median, and percentiles. The recent lead contamination of the water supply in Flint, Michigan, provides a real-life data set with important implications hinging on basic statistics such as these. The data set can also be used as a starting point for discussions on sampling design, data collection, and ethical data practices.