# CHERRY PICKING

***The practice of selecting results that fit your claim,***  
***and excluding those that don’t. The worst and most***  
***harmful example of being dishonest with data.***

When making a case, data adds weight – whether a study,  
experiment or something you’ve read. However, people  
often only highlight data that backs their case, rather than  
the entire body of results. It’s prevalent in public debate  
and politics where two sides can both present data that  
backs their position. Cherry Picking can be deliberate or  
accidental. Commonly, when you’re receiving data second  
hand, there’s an opportunity for someone choosing what  
data to share to distort the truth to whatever opinion  
they’re peddling. When on the receiving end of data, it’s  
important to ask yourself: ‘What am I not being told?’.