Jargon of the Week: **Authoritative data** / **Evidence-based data**

Submitted by crinadmin on

What do you get if you take away "authoritative" and "evidenced-based" from "data"? Answer: data. 

"Authoritative data" is basically information produced by reliable sources, such as think tanks or local NGOs that have expert experience in and knowledge of a particular field or issue. And "evidence-based data" is information that bases its content on research findings. 

The problem with these examples of jargon is not so much that they are difficult to understand, but rather that the "authoritative" and "evidence-based" components are unnecessary – as what would data be if not authoritative and based on evidence? 

With this in mind, remember that there's no need to overburden your writing with superfluous language. For instance, it will give your readers the same sense of what you're talking about whether you say “policymakers use authoritative data to highlight the extent of violence against children", or simply "policymakers use data to highlight the extent of violence against children." 

Or, you could even specify the type of data you're referring to. For example, “policymakers use information from NGO reports to highlight the extent of violence against children." 

Organisation: 
Child Rights International Network

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