Computing Dictionary
social science number definition
(IBM) A statistic that is
content-free, or nearly so. A measure derived via methods of questionable validity from data of a dubious and vague nature. Predictively, having a social science number in hand is seldom much better than nothing, and can be considerably worse.
Management loves them.
See also
numbers,
math-out,
pretty pictures.
(1994-11-04)