Bruce Spencer

This monograph treats the question of determining how much to spend for the collection and analysis of public data. This difficult problem for government statisticians and policy-makers is likely to become even more pressing in the near future. The approach taken here is to estimate and compare the benefits and costs of alternative data programs. Since data are used in many ways, the benefits are hard to measure. The strategy I have adopted focuses on use of data to determine fund allocations, particularly in the General Revenue Sharing program. General Revenue Sharing is one of the largest allocation programs in the United States. That errors in population counts and other data cause sizable errors in allocation has been much publicized. Here we analyze whether the accuracy of the 1970 census of population and other data used by General Revenue Sharing should be improved. Of course it is too late to change the 1970 census program, but the method and techniques of analysis will apply to future data programs. In partic ular, benefit-cost analyses such as this are necessary for informed decisions about whether the expense of statistical programs is justi fied or not. For example, although a law authorizing a mid-decade census was enacted in 1976, there exists great doubt whether funds will be provided so a census can take place in 1985. (The President's Budget for 1981 allows no money for the mid-decade census, despite the Census Bureau's request for $1. 9 million for planning purposes.

Benefit-Cost Analysis of Data Used to Allocate Funds

Tom Nesbit

Tara J. Fenwick

This book provides a critically informed overview of adult education today with contributions by leading researchers and practitioners from across Canada. It examines the contexts of adult education today - the historical contexts that shape the practice; the philosophical contexts that underpin their activities; the socioeconomic contexts by which practitioners are informed; the community contexts in which they are located; and the practice contexts that their activities reveal.

Canadian Perspectives

Contexts of Adult Education

Will Ferguson

Teena Spencer

Teena Spencer knows from experience what it is to live through months of hockey mania and endless weeks of playoff insanity, when your partner is sprawled on the couch, knocking back beer and yelling at the TV. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, she decided, and proceeded to learn the ins and outs of Canada's national game. From butt-ending to dipsy-doodles, icing to offsides, The Girlfriend's Guide to Hockey illuminates the often arcane language of hockey in clear, humourous text. It's all here: the jargon, positions, rules, teams, top players and rituals and trivia, with details on women in hockey, including Canada's silver-medal-winning 1998 Olympic team (who, after all, did better than the men!).

The Girlfriend's Guide to Hockey

Juha Alho

Provides a unique introduction to demographic problems in a familiar language. Presents a unified statistical outlook on both classical methods of demography and recent developments. Exercises are included to facilitate its classroom use. Both authors have contributed extensively to statistical demography and served in advisory roles and as statistical consultants in the field.

Bruce Spencer

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