Spurious correlation #3,097 · View random
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Number of highschoolers in the US and the second variable is Number of Lawyers in the United States. The chart goes from 1990 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Number of highschoolers in the US and the second variable is Number of Lawyers in the United States. The chart goes from 1990 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

As the number of highschoolers in the US increases, so does the demand for cheesy promposals. This leads to a nationwide shortage of pun writers, prompting a surge in law school enrollment as aspiring lawyers pivot to specialize in legal punmanship. Remember, when there's a writ, there's a pun-derful way!

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: [ Symbolism ] Create an image of a bustling high school hallway where students are eagerly casting their votes for student council representatives. In the background, depict a grand courthouse scene, featuring numerous lawyers passionately presenting their cases in front of a judge and jury. The contrast between the youthful enthusiasm of the students and the solemn professionalism of the courtroom should be visually striking. The depiction should include only scenes, people, and objects, it should not include text or speech bubbles.

This image generation prompt was also generated by AI, using the following sequence:

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You select one of a few potential scene descriptors that seems to go along with the variables described. You respond only with the scene descriptions provided and say nothing else.
User prompt: Here are two variables: Number of highschoolers in the US and Number of Lawyers in the United States. Given these, which of the following image style descriptions seems most appropriate? Pick the one that seems to be related to one of the variables at hand. Please respond with only one of the following potential descriptions: Brutalism Glitch art Sci-fi fantacy Woodblock painting Symbolism
ChatGPT: Symbolism

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You describe simple visual scenes that depict the two variables stated. You combine both variables into one scene.
User prompt: Please describe a visual scene that prominently depicts both Number of highschoolers in the US and Number of Lawyers in the United States, in the following situation: Because an increase in high schoolers led to more student council elections, breeding a generation of argumentative individuals who later became lawyers.. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: A crowded high school hallway filled with students excitedly voting for their student council representatives, while in the background, a bustling courthouse with numerous lawyers presenting their cases in front of a judge and jury.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You write and improve image generation prompts for DALLE-3. You maintain the same subjects, but enhance the visuals.
User prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ Symbolism ] and depicting this scene: A crowded high school hallway filled with students excitedly voting for their student council representatives, while in the background, a bustling courthouse with numerous lawyers presenting their cases in front of a judge and jury. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: [ Symbolism ] Create an image of a bustling high school hallway where students are eagerly casting their votes for student council representatives. In the background, depict a grand courthouse scene, featuring numerous lawyers passionately presenting their cases in front of a judge and jury. The contrast between the youthful enthusiasm of the students and the solemn professionalism of the courtroom should be visually striking.

*Variations in the User Prompts from chart to chart are just the result of random number generation in Python. I wrote a few arrays of various styles and methods to ask questions to change up the results. Every time this site writes an explanation or generates an image, the script picks from each at random.

I sequence the requests into multiple prompts because I find GPT 3.5 to perform much better with short, well-managed contexts. Thus, I track the context directly in Python and only ask ChatGPT targeted questions.
^{Show prompt for explanation} Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106 (fine-tuned)
System prompt: You provide humorous responses in the form of plausible sounding explanations for correlations. You assume the correlation is causative for the purpose of the explanation even if it is ridiculous. You do not chat with the user, you only reply with the causal connection explanation and nothing else.
User prompt: Please make up a funny explanation for how an increase in Number of highschoolers in the US caused Number of Lawyers in the United States to increase.\Make it sound serious until the end.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation

The Journal of Adolescent Socio-Legal Studies

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!

^{Show prompt used to generate this paper} Quick note: This sequence is long and repetitive. That's how the prompt engineering works for this one. I manage the output in Python to format it into this PDF.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft a literature review section of an academic research paper, that starts out dry for the first few sentences but then becomes hilarious and goofy.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a literature review section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Number of highschoolers in the US and Number of Lawyers in the United States. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Speak in the present tense for this section (the authors find...), as is common in academic research paper literature reviews. Name the sources in a format similar to this: In "Book," the authors find lorem and ipsum.

Make up the lorem and ipsum part, but make it sound related to the topic at hand.

Start by naming serious-sounding studies by authors like Smith, Doe, and Jones - but then quickly devolve. Name some real non-fiction books that would be related to the topic. Then name some real fiction books that sound like they could be related. Then name some movies that you watched that are tangentially related to the topic.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation

[[ABSTRACT]]
The relationship between the number of highschoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers continues to puzzle economists and policymakers alike. In this study, we delve into the often overlooked dynamic between these two seemingly disparate demographics. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association, our research team employed rigorous statistical analysis to uncover the surprising link between the youth of the nation and the legal profession. Our findings reveal a remarkably robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning the years 1990 to 2022. This unexpected connection prompts a reevaluation of traditional assumptions about the demographic forces at play in shaping the legal landscape. Our study sheds light on this novel and quirky relationship, offering a fresh perspective on the profile of the future legal workforce and the youths who unwittingly pave the way.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The intertwining of high schoolers and lawyers might at first glance seem as unlikely a pairing as pineapple and pizza, yet the connection between these two demographics has left researchers scratching their heads like a dog trying to solve a Rubik's cube. While one group is busy cramming for exams and navigating the labyrinth of adolescent social hierarchies, the other group is embroiled in legal battles and courtroom dramas that would make even the most seasoned reality TV director blush.
Understanding the relationship between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers is not just an academic exercise; it has real-world implications for workforce planning, educational policy, and perhaps most importantly, the collective psyche of the nation. It's like a high-stakes game of connect the dots, only instead of revealing a picture of a pony or a spaceship, we're aiming to uncover the underlying forces shaping the distribution of legal professionals and the pool from which they emerge.
The quest to unravel this enigmatic link has led our research team to pore over a trove of data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association. Our tools of the trade included regression analysis, scatter plots, and enough coffee to keep a small country awake for a week. What emerged from this statistical labyrinth was a correlation coefficient strong enough to make even the most emotionally distant statistician swoon – a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning over the years 1990 to 2022.
This unexpected discovery raises eyebrows like a magician who pulls a rabbit out of a hat, prompting a reevaluation of entrenched assumptions about the influence of high schoolers on the legal profession. The traditional narrative of legal professionals emerging from the hallowed halls of law schools is now accompanied by the quirkier subplot of a nation's high schoolers unwittingly shaping the future of the legal landscape.
In this paper, we aim to shed light on this unconventional relationship. Our findings not only challenge preconceptions but also offer a fresh perspective on the composition of the future legal workforce and the role played by the youths who are, quite unknowingly, laying the groundwork for the next wave of legal professionals. It's a bit like discovering that the secret ingredient in your favorite recipe is not what you expected – in this case, the "secret ingredient" is the unassuming presence of high schoolers in shaping the legal profession. So, fasten your seatbelts, dear reader, as we take you on a journey through the unexpected nexus of adolescence and advocacy.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

The connection between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers has been a topic of scholarly inquiry for decades. Smith et al. (2010) conducted a comprehensive analysis of demographic trends and legal profession data, uncovering intriguing patterns that hinted at a deeper relationship between the two seemingly incongruous groups. The findings of Smith et al. (2010) set the stage for subsequent investigations into this enigmatic correlation, prompting researchers to delve into realms hitherto unexplored.

Doe and Jones (2015) further bolstered the scholarly discourse with their seminal work, delving into the sociocultural implications of the burgeoning population of high schoolers and its potential impact on the legal ecosystem. Their incisive examination of societal dynamics shed light on the multifaceted nature of this association, leaving the academic community both astounded and intrigued by the intricate interplay between these distinct demographics.

Building on this foundation, our research team undertook a sweeping review of literature from diverse fields, including economics, sociology, and, perhaps unusually, culinary arts. Notable non-fiction works such as "The Demographics of Tomorrow" (2020) and "Youth: The Uncharted Frontier" (2018) offered pertinent insights into the evolving landscape of educational demographics and the professional trajectories of young adults, providing a valuable backdrop for our investigations.

On a more whimsical note, works of fiction such as "Legally Blonde" and "High School Musical" may seem far removed from the realm of empirical research, but their narratives – however embellished and theatrically dramatized – inadvertently draw attention to the cultural nuances embedded in the daily lives of high schoolers and legal practitioners. Such cultural touchstones serve as a quirky reminder of the pervasive influence of these demographics in the collective imagination, even if their cinematic portrayals deviate slightly from the rigorous statistical analyses underpinning our own study.

Lastly, while our research may seem firmly rooted in the domain of academia, it would be remiss to overlook the influence of popular culture on our collective understanding of legal dynamics. Movies such as "A Few Good Men" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" have not only captivated audiences with their riveting courtroom theatrics but have also subtly contributed to the cultural fascination with the legal profession. While our own study may not involve heated courtroom confrontations or compelling closing arguments, it certainly shares a thematic resonance with these cinematic masterpieces, albeit with a generous sprinkling of statistical rigor and a dash of academic levity.

In the succeeding sections, we present our rigorous empirical analysis – one that promises to decode the perplexing correlation between the youthful exuberance of high schoolers and the seasoned expertise of legal professionals, all while maintaining a healthy sense of scholarly humor.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the methodology section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the methodology section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Number of highschoolers in the US and Number of Lawyers in the United States. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from National Center for Education Statistics and ABA . You used data from 1990 to 2022

Make up the research methods you don't know. Make them a bit goofy and convoluted.

Here is the title, abstract, and introduction of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation

[[ABSTRACT]]
The relationship between the number of highschoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers continues to puzzle economists and policymakers alike. In this study, we delve into the often overlooked dynamic between these two seemingly disparate demographics. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association, our research team employed rigorous statistical analysis to uncover the surprising link between the youth of the nation and the legal profession. Our findings reveal a remarkably robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning the years 1990 to 2022. This unexpected connection prompts a reevaluation of traditional assumptions about the demographic forces at play in shaping the legal landscape. Our study sheds light on this novel and quirky relationship, offering a fresh perspective on the profile of the future legal workforce and the youths who unwittingly pave the way.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The intertwining of high schoolers and lawyers might at first glance seem as unlikely a pairing as pineapple and pizza, yet the connection between these two demographics has left researchers scratching their heads like a dog trying to solve a Rubik's cube. While one group is busy cramming for exams and navigating the labyrinth of adolescent social hierarchies, the other group is embroiled in legal battles and courtroom dramas that would make even the most seasoned reality TV director blush.
Understanding the relationship between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers is not just an academic exercise; it has real-world implications for workforce planning, educational policy, and perhaps most importantly, the collective psyche of the nation. It's like a high-stakes game of connect the dots, only instead of revealing a picture of a pony or a spaceship, we're aiming to uncover the underlying forces shaping the distribution of legal professionals and the pool from which they emerge.
The quest to unravel this enigmatic link has led our research team to pore over a trove of data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association. Our tools of the trade included regression analysis, scatter plots, and enough coffee to keep a small country awake for a week. What emerged from this statistical labyrinth was a correlation coefficient strong enough to make even the most emotionally distant statistician swoon – a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning over the years 1990 to 2022.
This unexpected discovery raises eyebrows like a magician who pulls a rabbit out of a hat, prompting a reevaluation of entrenched assumptions about the influence of high schoolers on the legal profession. The traditional narrative of legal professionals emerging from the hallowed halls of law schools is now accompanied by the quirkier subplot of a nation's high schoolers unwittingly shaping the future of the legal landscape.
In this paper, we aim to shed light on this unconventional relationship. Our findings not only challenge preconceptions but also offer a fresh perspective on the composition of the future legal workforce and the role played by the youths who are, quite unknowingly, laying the groundwork for the next wave of legal professionals. It's a bit like discovering that the secret ingredient in your favorite recipe is not what you expected – in this case, the "secret ingredient" is the unassuming presence of high schoolers in shaping the legal profession. So, fasten your seatbelts, dear reader, as we take you on a journey through the unexpected nexus of adolescence and advocacy.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To untangle the web of connections between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers, our research team engaged in a veritable academic odyssey. We scoured the digital plains of the internet, trekking through the wilds of the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association, where we foraged for data like intrepid explorers on a quest for statistical treasure.

Our journey through the realms of data collection took us from the ancient annals of 1990 to the contemporary corridors of 2022, encompassing a wide swath of time to capture the ever-evolving tapestry of high schoolers and the legal profession. Harnessing the powers of spreadsheets and data analysis software, we wrangled the raw data into submission, transforming it into a formidable arsenal of numbers and trends ready for the rigors of statistical scrutiny.

By deploying regression analysis, scatter plots, and other arcane techniques of statistical sorcery, we sought to reveal the hidden patterns within the data – much like archaeologists carefully brushing away layers of dirt to unveil ancient artifacts, except with, you know, fewer ancient artifacts and more scatter plots.

Our analytical arsenal allowed us to calculate the all-important correlation coefficient, serving as a compass guiding us through the statistical wilderness. And lo and behold, after navigating the treacherous terrain of data analysis, we uncovered a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, accompanied by a p-value of less than 0.01. These numbers glittered like rare gems in the dim caverns of statistical significance, affirming the robustness of the relationship we sought to illuminate.

Throughout our research journey, we also balanced our caffeinated sustenance with moments of introspection, pondering the peculiar dance between high schoolers and lawyers. As we toiled over the data, one question echoed in our minds like a persistent earworm: What mysterious forces bind these seemingly disparate demographics? It's like uncovering a secret society of sock puppet enthusiasts among the ranks of exotic bird enthusiasts – unexpected, yet undeniably intriguing.

In summary, our research methodology wove together data collection, statistical analysis, and a healthy dose of academic curiosity to unravel the enigmatic connection between the formative years of youth and the gallant pursuits of the legal profession. With our trusty statistical sword in hand, we cut through the thick underbrush of uncertainty, shedding light on the unexpected nexus between adolescence and advocacy.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the results section of an academic research paper. You speak in the past tense (you found...).
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the results section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Number of highschoolers in the US and Number of Lawyers in the United States. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from National Center for Education Statistics and ABA .

For the time period 1990 to 2022, you found a correlation 0.9478329, r-squared of 0.8983872, and p < 0.01.

One figure will be included. The figure (Fig. 1) is a scatterplot showing the strong correlation between the two variables. You don't need to specify where; I will add the figure.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation

[[ABSTRACT]]
The relationship between the number of highschoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers continues to puzzle economists and policymakers alike. In this study, we delve into the often overlooked dynamic between these two seemingly disparate demographics. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association, our research team employed rigorous statistical analysis to uncover the surprising link between the youth of the nation and the legal profession. Our findings reveal a remarkably robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning the years 1990 to 2022. This unexpected connection prompts a reevaluation of traditional assumptions about the demographic forces at play in shaping the legal landscape. Our study sheds light on this novel and quirky relationship, offering a fresh perspective on the profile of the future legal workforce and the youths who unwittingly pave the way.

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
The intertwining of high schoolers and lawyers might at first glance seem as unlikely a pairing as pineapple and pizza, yet the connection between these two demographics has left researchers scratching their heads like a dog trying to solve a Rubik's cube. While one group is busy cramming for exams and navigating the labyrinth of adolescent social hierarchies, the other group is embroiled in legal battles and courtroom dramas that would make even the most seasoned reality TV director blush.
Understanding the relationship between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers is not just an academic exercise; it has real-world implications for workforce planning, educational policy, and perhaps most importantly, the collective psyche of the nation. It's like a high-stakes game of connect the dots, only instead of revealing a picture of a pony or a spaceship, we're aiming to uncover the underlying forces shaping the distribution of legal professionals and the pool from which they emerge.
The quest to unravel this enigmatic link has led our research team to pore over a trove of data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association. Our tools of the trade included regression analysis, scatter plots, and enough coffee to keep a small country awake for a week. What emerged from this statistical labyrinth was a correlation coefficient strong enough to make even the most emotionally distant statistician swoon – a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning over the years 1990 to 2022.
This unexpected discovery raises eyebrows like a magician who pulls a rabbit out of a hat, prompting a reevaluation of entrenched assumptions about the influence of high schoolers on the legal profession. The traditional narrative of legal professionals emerging from the hallowed halls of law schools is now accompanied by the quirkier subplot of a nation's high schoolers unwittingly shaping the future of the legal landscape.
In this paper, we aim to shed light on this unconventional relationship. Our findings not only challenge preconceptions but also offer a fresh perspective on the composition of the future legal workforce and the role played by the youths who are, quite unknowingly, laying the groundwork for the next wave of legal professionals. It's a bit like discovering that the secret ingredient in your favorite recipe is not what you expected – in this case, the "secret ingredient" is the unassuming presence of high schoolers in shaping the legal profession. So, fasten your seatbelts, dear reader, as we take you on a journey through the unexpected nexus of adolescence and advocacy.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]

ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

Our analysis revealed a striking correlation between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329. This strong positive relationship suggests that as the population of high schoolers has waxed and waned over the years, so too has the contingent of legal eagles in the country. It's like they're performing a synchronized swimming routine – one group dives in, and the other follows suit.

The r-squared value of 0.8983872 indicates that a whopping 89.8% of the variation in the number of lawyers can be explained by the fluctuating population of high schoolers. It's a bit like finding out that 90% of your wardrobe is actually just various shades of the same color – surprising, yet strangely satisfying.

The p-value of less than 0.01 provides further support for the robustness of the relationship, akin to getting a high score on a test you didn't even study for. In other words, the probability of observing such a strong correlation due to random chance is lower than finding a four-leaf clover in a field of three-leaf clovers.

And of course, we can't overlook the star of the show – our beloved scatterplot (Fig. 1). This visual representation of the data beautifully captures the linear relationship between the two variables, as if high schoolers and lawyers were holding hands and skipping through the statistical meadow together.

In summary, our results not only confirm the unexpected link between the number of high schoolers and the number of lawyers but also highlight the significance of this connection. It's a bit like uncovering a hidden treasure map while cleaning out your attic – the implications are both surprising and potentially valuable.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the discussion section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the discussion section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Number of highschoolers in the US and Number of Lawyers in the United States. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Limit your response to 500 tokens.

Here are the title, abstract, literature review, and results sections. Please harken back to 1-2 of the goofy items in the literature review, but pretend to take them completely seriously. Discuss how your results supported the prior research.

Do not write a conclusion. I will add a conclusion after this.

[[TITLE]]
The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation

[[ABSTRACT]]
The relationship between the number of highschoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers continues to puzzle economists and policymakers alike. In this study, we delve into the often overlooked dynamic between these two seemingly disparate demographics. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association, our research team employed rigorous statistical analysis to uncover the surprising link between the youth of the nation and the legal profession. Our findings reveal a remarkably robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning the years 1990 to 2022. This unexpected connection prompts a reevaluation of traditional assumptions about the demographic forces at play in shaping the legal landscape. Our study sheds light on this novel and quirky relationship, offering a fresh perspective on the profile of the future legal workforce and the youths who unwittingly pave the way.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
The connection between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers has been a topic of scholarly inquiry for decades. Smith et al. (2010) conducted a comprehensive analysis of demographic trends and legal profession data, uncovering intriguing patterns that hinted at a deeper relationship between the two seemingly incongruous groups. The findings of Smith et al. (2010) set the stage for subsequent investigations into this enigmatic correlation, prompting researchers to delve into realms hitherto unexplored.
Doe and Jones (2015) further bolstered the scholarly discourse with their seminal work, delving into the sociocultural implications of the burgeoning population of high schoolers and its potential impact on the legal ecosystem. Their incisive examination of societal dynamics shed light on the multifaceted nature of this association, leaving the academic community both astounded and intrigued by the intricate interplay between these distinct demographics.
Building on this foundation, our research team undertook a sweeping review of literature from diverse fields, including economics, sociology, and, perhaps unusually, culinary arts. Notable non-fiction works such as "The Demographics of Tomorrow" (2020) and "Youth: The Uncharted Frontier" (2018) offered pertinent insights into the evolving landscape of educational demographics and the professional trajectories of young adults, providing a valuable backdrop for our investigations.
On a more whimsical note, works of fiction such as "Legally Blonde" and "High School Musical" may seem far removed from the realm of empirical research, but their narratives – however embellished and theatrically dramatized – inadvertently draw attention to the cultural nuances embedded in the daily lives of high schoolers and legal practitioners. Such cultural touchstones serve as a quirky reminder of the pervasive influence of these demographics in the collective imagination, even if their cinematic portrayals deviate slightly from the rigorous statistical analyses underpinning our own study.
Lastly, while our research may seem firmly rooted in the domain of academia, it would be remiss to overlook the influence of popular culture on our collective understanding of legal dynamics. Movies such as "A Few Good Men" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" have not only captivated audiences with their riveting courtroom theatrics but have also subtly contributed to the cultural fascination with the legal profession. While our own study may not involve heated courtroom confrontations or compelling closing arguments, it certainly shares a thematic resonance with these cinematic masterpieces, albeit with a generous sprinkling of statistical rigor and a dash of academic levity.
In the succeeding sections, we present our rigorous empirical analysis – one that promises to decode the perplexing correlation between the youthful exuberance of high schoolers and the seasoned expertise of legal professionals, all while maintaining a healthy sense of scholarly humor.

[[RESULTS]]
Our analysis revealed a striking correlation between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329. This strong positive relationship suggests that as the population of high schoolers has waxed and waned over the years, so too has the contingent of legal eagles in the country. It's like they're performing a synchronized swimming routine – one group dives in, and the other follows suit.
The r-squared value of 0.8983872 indicates that a whopping 89.8% of the variation in the number of lawyers can be explained by the fluctuating population of high schoolers. It's a bit like finding out that 90% of your wardrobe is actually just various shades of the same color – surprising, yet strangely satisfying.
The p-value of less than 0.01 provides further support for the robustness of the relationship, akin to getting a high score on a test you didn't even study for. In other words, the probability of observing such a strong correlation due to random chance is lower than finding a four-leaf clover in a field of three-leaf clovers.
And of course, we can't overlook the star of the show – our beloved scatterplot (Fig. 1). This visual representation of the data beautifully captures the linear relationship between the two variables, as if high schoolers and lawyers were holding hands and skipping through the statistical meadow together.
In summary, our results not only confirm the unexpected link between the number of high schoolers and the number of lawyers but also highlight the significance of this connection. It's a bit like uncovering a hidden treasure map while cleaning out your attic – the implications are both surprising and potentially valuable.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

Our findings corroborate the notion that the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers are inextricably linked, much like the timeless relationship between peanut butter and jelly or socks and sandals – inexplicably intertwined. The robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329 not only attests to the strength of this connection but also evokes a sense of camaraderie between two seemingly distinct cohorts, akin to unexpectedly discovering that your favorite band and your go-to snack have more in common than meets the eye.

The literature review did indeed offer a diverse tapestry of scholarly inquiry, encompassing non-traditional sources and unexpected parallels. While the thematic resonance with cinematic masterpieces provided an amusing diversion, our study has revealed the tangible underpinnings of this correlation, anchoring our findings in empirical rigor and statistical coherence.

The juxtaposition of the youthful exuberance of high schoolers with the seasoned expertise of legal professionals may seem like an unlikely union, akin to a fusion cuisine that marries unexpected flavors with surprising success. This unexpected synergy prompts a reevaluation of conventional assumptions about the demographic interplay shaping the legal landscape, challenging preconceived notions much like a surprising plot twist in a beloved sitcom.

The substantial r-squared value of 0.8983872 underscores the depth of the relationship between these demographics, akin to unearthing a buried treasure trove with almost the entire map intact. It's as if we've stumbled upon a secret portal to understanding the intricate dynamics at play, much like uncovering the hidden meaning behind a beloved childhood riddle.

Moreover, the p-value of less than 0.01 provides compelling evidence for the validity of this correlation, akin to stumbling upon a rare collectible item in a sea of ordinary possessions. This strength of support underscores the robust nature of the relationship, akin to having a superhero come to your rescue just when you need it most.

In conclusion, our findings not only lend credence to prior research but also illuminate the unexpected and quirky intersection between the ever-evolving population of high schoolers and the enduring presence of legal practitioners. It's like discovering an unexpected connection between two seemingly unrelated interests – a delightful surprise that prompts a fresh perspective on the intricate tapestry of societal demographics and professional trajectories.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the discussion section of goofy academic research papers that sounds like it belongs based on the title and abstract provided.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a short conclusion of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Number of highschoolers in the US and Number of Lawyers in the United States. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Limit your response to 300 tokens. At the very end, assert that no more research is needed in this area.

Here are the title, abstract, introduction, and results sections.
[[TITLE]]
The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation

[[ABSTRACT]]
The relationship between the number of highschoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers continues to puzzle economists and policymakers alike. In this study, we delve into the often overlooked dynamic between these two seemingly disparate demographics. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association, our research team employed rigorous statistical analysis to uncover the surprising link between the youth of the nation and the legal profession. Our findings reveal a remarkably robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning the years 1990 to 2022. This unexpected connection prompts a reevaluation of traditional assumptions about the demographic forces at play in shaping the legal landscape. Our study sheds light on this novel and quirky relationship, offering a fresh perspective on the profile of the future legal workforce and the youths who unwittingly pave the way.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The intertwining of high schoolers and lawyers might at first glance seem as unlikely a pairing as pineapple and pizza, yet the connection between these two demographics has left researchers scratching their heads like a dog trying to solve a Rubik's cube. While one group is busy cramming for exams and navigating the labyrinth of adolescent social hierarchies, the other group is embroiled in legal battles and courtroom dramas that would make even the most seasoned reality TV director blush.
Understanding the relationship between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers is not just an academic exercise; it has real-world implications for workforce planning, educational policy, and perhaps most importantly, the collective psyche of the nation. It's like a high-stakes game of connect the dots, only instead of revealing a picture of a pony or a spaceship, we're aiming to uncover the underlying forces shaping the distribution of legal professionals and the pool from which they emerge.
The quest to unravel this enigmatic link has led our research team to pore over a trove of data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association. Our tools of the trade included regression analysis, scatter plots, and enough coffee to keep a small country awake for a week. What emerged from this statistical labyrinth was a correlation coefficient strong enough to make even the most emotionally distant statistician swoon – a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning over the years 1990 to 2022.
This unexpected discovery raises eyebrows like a magician who pulls a rabbit out of a hat, prompting a reevaluation of entrenched assumptions about the influence of high schoolers on the legal profession. The traditional narrative of legal professionals emerging from the hallowed halls of law schools is now accompanied by the quirkier subplot of a nation's high schoolers unwittingly shaping the future of the legal landscape.
In this paper, we aim to shed light on this unconventional relationship. Our findings not only challenge preconceptions but also offer a fresh perspective on the composition of the future legal workforce and the role played by the youths who are, quite unknowingly, laying the groundwork for the next wave of legal professionals. It's a bit like discovering that the secret ingredient in your favorite recipe is not what you expected – in this case, the "secret ingredient" is the unassuming presence of high schoolers in shaping the legal profession. So, fasten your seatbelts, dear reader, as we take you on a journey through the unexpected nexus of adolescence and advocacy.

[[RESULTS]]
Our analysis revealed a striking correlation between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9478329. This strong positive relationship suggests that as the population of high schoolers has waxed and waned over the years, so too has the contingent of legal eagles in the country. It's like they're performing a synchronized swimming routine – one group dives in, and the other follows suit.
The r-squared value of 0.8983872 indicates that a whopping 89.8% of the variation in the number of lawyers can be explained by the fluctuating population of high schoolers. It's a bit like finding out that 90% of your wardrobe is actually just various shades of the same color – surprising, yet strangely satisfying.
The p-value of less than 0.01 provides further support for the robustness of the relationship, akin to getting a high score on a test you didn't even study for. In other words, the probability of observing such a strong correlation due to random chance is lower than finding a four-leaf clover in a field of three-leaf clovers.
And of course, we can't overlook the star of the show – our beloved scatterplot (Fig. 1). This visual representation of the data beautifully captures the linear relationship between the two variables, as if high schoolers and lawyers were holding hands and skipping through the statistical meadow together.
In summary, our results not only confirm the unexpected link between the number of high schoolers and the number of lawyers but also highlight the significance of this connection. It's a bit like uncovering a hidden treasure map while cleaning out your attic – the implications are both surprising and potentially valuable.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our research has brought to light a peculiar correlation between the number of high schoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers, a connection as surprising as finding a spare sock in the dryer. The remarkably robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, coupled with a p-value of less than 0.01, has left us more astonished than a magician who pulls a rabbit out of a hat and finds a second one behind its ear.

This unexpected relationship underscores how the ebb and flow of high school students mirrors the fluctuations in the legal profession, like a symphony where the crescendos of high school enrollment are followed by the corresponding rise in the ranks of legal professionals. It's almost as if each group is taking cues from the other, though one is more likely to be immersed in Shakespeare than civil procedure.

The implications of this correlation are as intriguing as discovering that your favorite pizza flavor correlates with your choice of lawyer – as high schoolers take center stage in the demographic theater, they unwittingly set the scene for the cast of future legal professionals. It's like a cosmic dance of demographics, where the twirls and spins of high school trends foreshadow the pirouettes of the legal workforce.

Ultimately, our findings challenge conventional wisdom and offer a fresh perspective on the intricate interplay between seemingly unrelated demographics. The next time you're pondering the legal landscape, don't forget to consider the unsuspecting influence of high schoolers – they may just be the unsung architects of the legal profession's future.

In light of our groundbreaking discoveries, we confidently assert that no further research is needed in this area. We've unraveled the enigma of high schoolers and lawyers, leaving no statistical stone unturned. It's time for us to bid adieu to this unexpected journey and turn our attention to other mysteries waiting to be unveiled. After all, there are only so many correlations one can uncover before it's time to hang up the statistical hat.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of academic journals. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding research, scientific, or academic journal that would publish a paper entited The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Adolescent Socio-Legal Studies

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of nonprofit research organizations and associations. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding nonprofit, academic, or scientific association or organization that would sponsor research that resulted in a paper entited The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Society for Adolescent Advocacy and Analysis

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide potential search keywords separated by commas. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide potential search keywords for a paper titled The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation with an abstract of The relationship between the number of highschoolers in the United States and the number of lawyers continues to puzzle economists and policymakers alike. In this study, we delve into the often overlooked dynamic between these two seemingly disparate demographics. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Bar Association, our research team employed rigorous statistical analysis to uncover the surprising link between the youth of the nation and the legal profession. Our findings reveal a remarkably robust correlation coefficient of 0.9478329, with a p-value of less than 0.01, spanning the years 1990 to 2022. This unexpected connection prompts a reevaluation of traditional assumptions about the demographic forces at play in shaping the legal landscape. Our study sheds light on this novel and quirky relationship, offering a fresh perspective on the profile of the future legal workforce and the youths who unwittingly pave the way.

ChatGPT:

number of highschoolers, United States, lawyers, correlation, demographics, National Center for Education Statistics, American Bar Association, statistical analysis, correlation coefficient, p-value, legal profession, demographic forces, legal landscape, future legal workforce

*There is a bunch of Python happening behind the scenes to turn this prompt sequence into a PDF.

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Data details

Number of highschoolers in the US
Detailed data title: Enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools: 9-12th grade
Source: National Center for Education Statistics
See what else correlates with Number of highschoolers in the US

Number of Lawyers in the United States
Detailed data title: The Count of ABA Lawyers in the United States
Source: ABA
See what else correlates with Number of Lawyers in the United States

Correlation r = 0.9478329 (Pearson correlation coefficient)
Correlation is a measure of how much the variables move together. If it is 0.99, when one goes up the other goes up. If it is 0.02, the connection is very weak or non-existent. If it is -0.99, then when one goes up the other goes down. If it is 1.00, you probably messed up your correlation function.

r² = 0.8983872 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 89.8% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Number of Lawyers in the United States) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Number of highschoolers in the US) over the 33 years from 1990 through 2022.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 6.06E-17.^Show 0.0000000000000000605688973250
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme.^Note More specifically the p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme if we had only tested one pair of variables one time.

But I am a p-villain. I absolutely did not test only one pair of variables one time. I correlated hundreds of millions of pairs of variables. I threw boatloads of data into an industrial-sized blender to find this correlation.

Who is going to stop me? p-value reporting doesn't require me to report how many calculations I had to go through in order to find a low p-value!
On average, you will find a correaltion as strong as 0.95 in 6.06E-15% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 16,510,123,911,191,740 random variables^Note You don't actually need 16 quadrillion variables to find a correlation like this one. I don't have that many variables in my database. You can also correlate variables that are not independent. I do this a lot.

p-value calculations are useful for understanding the probability of a result happening by chance. They are most useful when used to highlight the risk of a fluke outcome. For example, if you calculate a p-value of 0.30, the risk that the result is a fluke is high. It is good to know that! But there are lots of ways to get a p-value of less than 0.01, as evidenced by this project.

In this particular case, the values are so extreme as to be meaningless. That's why no one reports p-values with specificity after they drop below 0.01.

Just to be clear: I'm being completely transparent about the calculations. There is no math trickery. This is just how statistics shakes out when you calculate hundreds of millions of random correlations.
with the same 32 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 32 because we have two variables measured over a period of 33 years. It's just the number of years minus ( the number of variables minus one ), which in this case simplifies to the number of years minus one.
you would randomly expect to find a correlation as strong as this one.

[ 0.9, 0.97 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
^{Read more about the confidence interval} The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

This one is a bit more complciated than the other calculations, but I include it because many people have been pushing for confidence intervals instead of p-value calculations (for example: NEJM. However, if you are dredging data, you can reliably find yourself in the 5%. That's my goal!

All values for the years included above: ^Note If I were being very sneaky, I could trim years from the beginning or end of the datasets to increase the correlation on some pairs of variables. I don't do that because there are already plenty of correlations in my database without monkeying with the years.

Still, sometimes one of the variables has more years of data available than the other. This page only shows the overlapping years. To see all the years, click on "See what else correlates with..." link above.

	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Number of highschoolers in the US (Students)	11340800	11544400	11737300	11963100	12215400	12502200	12848800	13055900	13194900	13370700	13517100	13735900	14068800	14339500	14617900	14909300	15081100	15086500	14980000	14951700	14859700	14748900	14753200	14793700	14942900	15050100	15137900	15189500	15196300	15245900	15313500	15435500	15538500
Number of Lawyers in the United States (Lawyers)	755694	777119	799760	846036	865614	896140	953260	953260	985921	1000440	1022460	1048900	1049750	1058660	1084500	1104770	1116970	1143360	1162120	1180390	1203100	1225450	1245200	1268010	1281430	1300700	1312870	1335960	1342380	1352080	1328740	1327910	1327010

Why this works

Data dredging: I have 25,153 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 632,673,409 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead abused the data to see what correlations shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
Lack of causal connection: There is probably^Note Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple^Note Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.

Try it yourself

You can calculate the values on this page on your own! Try running the Python code to see the calculation results. ^{Show the steps to do this.} Step 1: Download and install Python on your computer.

Step 2: Open a plaintext editor like Notepad and paste the code below into it.

Step 3: Save the file as "calculate_correlation.py" in a place you will remember, like your desktop. Copy the file location to your clipboard. On Windows, you can right-click the file and click "Properties," and then copy what comes after "Location:" As an example, on my computer the location is "C:\Users\tyler\Desktop"

Step 4: Open a command line window. For example, by pressing start and typing "cmd" and them pressing enter.

Step 5: Install the required modules by typing "pip install numpy", then pressing enter, then typing "pip install scipy", then pressing enter.

Step 6: Navigate to the location where you saved the Python file by using the "cd" command. For example, I would type "cd C:\Users\tyler\Desktop" and push enter.

Step 7: Run the Python script by typing "python calculate_correlation.py"

If you run into any issues, I suggest asking ChatGPT to walk you through installing Python and running the code below on your system. Try this question:

"Walk me through installing Python on my computer to run a script that uses scipy and numpy. Go step-by-step and ask me to confirm before moving on. Start by asking me questions about my operating system so that you know how to proceed. Assume I want the simplest installation with the latest version of Python and that I do not currently have any of the necessary elements installed. Remember to only give me one step per response and confirm I have done it before proceeding."

# These modules make it easier to perform the calculation
import numpy as np
from scipy import stats

# We'll define a function that we can call to return the correlation calculations
def calculate_correlation(array1, array2):

    # Calculate Pearson correlation coefficient and p-value
    correlation, p_value = stats.pearsonr(array1, array2)

    # Calculate R-squared as the square of the correlation coefficient
    r_squared = correlation**2

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([11340800,11544400,11737300,11963100,12215400,12502200,12848800,13055900,13194900,13370700,13517100,13735900,14068800,14339500,14617900,14909300,15081100,15086500,14980000,14951700,14859700,14748900,14753200,14793700,14942900,15050100,15137900,15189500,15196300,15245900,15313500,15435500,15538500,])
array_2 = np.array([755694,777119,799760,846036,865614,896140,953260,953260,985921,1000440,1022460,1048900,1049750,1058660,1084500,1104770,1116970,1143360,1162120,1180390,1203100,1225450,1245200,1268010,1281430,1300700,1312870,1335960,1342380,1352080,1328740,1327910,1327010,])
array_1_name = "Number of highschoolers in the US"
array_2_name = "Number of Lawyers in the United States"

# Perform the calculation
print(f"Calculating the correlation between {array_1_name} and {array_2_name}...")
correlation, r_squared, p_value = calculate_correlation(array_1, array_2)

# Print the results
print("Correlation Coefficient:", correlation)
print("R-squared:", r_squared)
print("P-value:", p_value)

Reuseable content

You may re-use the images on this page for any purpose, even commercial purposes, without asking for permission. The only requirement is that you attribute Tyler Vigen. ^Note Attribution can take many different forms. If you leave the "tylervigen.com" link in the image, that satisfies it just fine. If you remove it and move it to a footnote, that's fine too. You can also just write "Charts courtesy of Tyler Vigen" at the bottom of an article.

You do not need to attribute "the spurious correlations website," and you don't even need to link here if you don't want to. I don't gain anything from pageviews. There are no ads on this site, there is nothing for sale, and I am not for hire.

For the record, I am just one person. Tyler Vigen, he/him/his. I do have degrees, but they should not go after my name unless you want to annoy my wife. If that is your goal, then go ahead and cite me as "Tyler Vigen, A.A. A.A.S. B.A. J.D." Otherwise it is just "Tyler Vigen."

When spoken, my last name is pronounced "vegan," like I don't eat meat.

Full license details.
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Download images for these variables:

High resolution line chart ^Note The image linked here is a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG). It is the highest resolution that is possible to achieve. It scales up beyond the size of the observable universe without pixelating. You do not need to email me asking if I have a higher resolution image. I do not. The physical limitations of our universe prevent me from providing you with an image that is any higher resolution than this one.

If you insert it into a PowerPoint presentation (a tool well-known for managing things that are the scale of the universe), you can right-click > "Ungroup" or "Create Shape" and then edit the lines and text directly. You can also change the colors this way.

Alternatively you can use a tool like Inkscape.
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The spurious research paper: The Lawyer-Laden Legacy: Exploring the Highschooler-Helmed Correlation

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Correlation ID: 3097 · Black Variable ID: 1306 · Red Variable ID: 542


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