QuIRK and You!

"The world of the twenty-first century is a world awash in numbers."
-Lynn A. Steen

What is QuIRK?!

Carleton's Quantitative Inquiry, Reasoning, and Knowledge (QuIRK) initiative is committed to developing a campus-wide culture of appreciation for quantitative evidence in the evaluation, construction, and communication of arguments. While you might not see it directly, many of your professors are engaged in this work. In fact, in any given academic year over half of all faculty (including over 40% of faculty in the arts, literature, and humanities) take part in QuIRK activities. So, chances are that professors you are studying with every term are QuIRKy.

"Numbers [are] the principal language of public argument."
-BBC Program More or Less

What is Quantitative Reasoning?

QuIRK understands quantitative reasoning (QR) to be the habit of mind to consider the power and limitations of quantitative evidence in the evaluation, construction, and communication of arguments in public, professional, and personal life.

At Carleton QR isn't code for "More Math." QuIRK is more interested in helping students use basic quantitative tools-most of which you already have-to strengthen your ability to make and evaluate arguments.

Improve Your Papers

With so many of your professors concerned with the use of quantitative evidence in argument, you must be wondering, "How can I make QuIRKier arguments?" Here are some questions you might ask yourself as you work.