ThinkCritical.eu · Manipulation atlas
Sources and evidenceFalse precision
An exact figure (“37% more”) with no checkable source – it sounds credible but proves nothing.
A figure with a decimal point looks as if someone measured it carefully. Without a source, a method and the number of people studied, it is no more checkable than a guess.
A post says: “People who go to bed before ten are 42.6% happier.” Who measured it, on how many people, and how anyone can measure happiness to a tenth of a percent, you never find out.
How to spot it
- A very precise figure for something that can't be measured precisely (happiness, intelligence, satisfaction).
- No information on who found the figure, when, or how many people were studied.
- The figure is repeated from article to article, but the original source is nowhere to be found.
- An AI answer gives exact percentages without a link.
How to check and what to do
- Ask: where does the figure come from, who measured it and how?
- Look for the figure in the original study or statistics, for example on your national statistics office's website.
- If you can't find the source, treat the figure as unverified and don't pass it on.
Full explanation and exercises:
thinkcritical.eu/en/manipulation-atlas/false-precision