Rounding without losing the point
The displayed precision should support the comparison a reader needs to make.
Observations, explanations, and small discoveries
The fieldbook.
An independent journal about tables, files, and the definitions that help data travel. Practical essays on collecting, organizing, and preserving useful context.
10 stories to explore
Light becomes a digital picture
A photograph is a useful representation built from samples of light.
Mean and median see different details
Two summaries of the same collection can emphasize different aspects of it.
Training and use are different stages
Learning a model’s parameters and producing a response have different roles.
A dashboard with a question beside it
A useful collection of charts makes its purpose easier to see.
Energy and power answer different questions
The amount used and the rate of use describe different parts of the same task.
Units travel with the column
A table should remain interpretable after it leaves its original application.
Prediction and the appearance of understanding
A fluent response can be useful without explaining how the model reached it.
A CSV file has a dialect
A simple table format still depends on a few agreed reading rules.
An outlier is a question first
An unusual value deserves context before it is removed or celebrated.
No stories here just yet.
Try another search or explore a different topic.
A small idea to take with you
Explain one column
Find a field in a small table. Write its meaning, unit, and the rule for a missing value as though another person will use the file.