A self study is a long document written by several people over several months. Figures get typed into narratives, copied into tables, and summarized into executive sections. Every one of those steps is a chance for the number to change.
When a reviewer finds two versions of the same figure, the specific number stops being the issue. The question becomes whether anything in the document can be trusted.
Where figures drift
- A count is updated in a table late in the process and not in the narrative that quotes it
- Two authors use different date ranges for the same measure
- Headcount and full time equivalent are used interchangeably
- A figure is rounded in one place and exact in another
- An appendix is regenerated but the summary is not
The rule
Every figure that appears more than once in the document should be derived from one record, not typed twice. If your process cannot guarantee that, then every figure that appears more than once needs a reconciliation pass before submission.
A practical reconciliation pass
- List every quantitative claim in the document with its location
- Group claims that refer to the same underlying measure
- For each group, identify the authoritative source and the date range
- Correct any claim that disagrees, including in appendices
- Note the source under each figure so the next person does not have to redo this
This takes a day or two for a full self study. It is one of the highest value days in the whole cycle.
Define your terms once
Much of the drift comes from definitions rather than arithmetic. Decide early what counts as a participating faculty member, what date range a term covers, and whether you report headcount or full time equivalent. Write those definitions down and put them where the authors will see them.
A document where every author used the same definitions rarely has a reconciliation problem in the first place.