Cite number correctly.
Why it matters. Used properly, statistics can back up your point.
Why you use numbers the wrong way. You think a number - any number - adds credibility. But they're so easy to misuse.
How to fix it. When citing a statistic, include the context (compared to what?). And statistics shorn of sources are meaningless; "It is estimated that" might as well say "I made this number up." Here's a proper way to use a statistic: "Forrester Research estimates that by 2017, 2.4 billion people will own smartphones, or around one third of the world's population."
