5.2 Fact-finding skills

Number of replies: 358

scales weighing "truth, facts" vs "fake news"

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Facts are facts, right? If that’s true, it ought to be easy to find out the answers to the following questions - spend no more than five minutes searching the internet before posting your answers in the Forum below.

  1. What was the population of the UK at the start of 2018?
  2. What is the average annual income in the United States?
  3. How many Australian universities currently rank in the top 100 worldwide?


To post, simply click 'REPLY.'

Please be aware that any comments and contributions in this forum are open to the general public and NOT just other students in the cohort.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Henry Spence -
1. The population at the start of 2018 in the UK was 66,432,993
2. The average national salary in the United States is $63,795.13.
3. Six Australian universities rank in the top 100 worldwide.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Benjamin White -
1) The population was 66,432,993
2) The average income is $63,796
3) 6 Australian universities rank in the top 100
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Stephane Chu -
1. 66,432,993
2. $63,795
3. 6
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Jack Donaldson -
1 - The population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,432,993 - according to Macrotrends
2 - The average annual income in the United States was $59,428 - according to Forbes
3 - There are six Australian universities in the top 100 - according to Time Higher Education
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Mayumi Singh -
1) 66,432,993 - from macrotrends
2) 59,384 dollars - from USA Today article 
3) 6 - from Times Higher education 
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Ahmed Khamlich -
1) The population of the UK in 2018 was 66.4 million.
2) The average annual income in the United State 2023 was $59.384.
3) There are 6 Universities in Australia in the top 100.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Ruby-Anna Morris -
1. The population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,432,993.
2. The US average annual income is $63,795.
3. Currently, 6 Australian universities rank in the top 100.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Samuel Scozzari -
1. 66,432,993 according to Macrotrends
2. average annual salary nationwide is $59,248 according to Forbes
3. 6 Australian Universities rank in the top 100 worldwide according to THE
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Jessica Reed -
1. 66,432,993
https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/GBR/united-kingdom/population
2. $63,795
https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/average-salary-in-us/#:~:text=The%20average%20salary%20in%20the,from%20the%20Social%20Security%20Administration.
3. 37 (CORRECTION, 6)
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-australia#:~:text=There%20are%2037%20top%20universities,is%20no%20shortage%20of%20choice.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by will spurr -
1. The population at the start of 2018 in the UK was 66,432,993
2. The average national salary in the United States is $63,795.13.
3. 6 Australian universities
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Dan Tickle -
1. 66,432,993 - Macrotrends
2. $59,428 - Forbes
3. 9 Australian universities - QS World Rankings 2024
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Bethany Krupiarz -
1. 66,432,993
2.$59,384
3.There are 37 top universities in Australia, according to Times Higher Education's World University Rankings 2024, and six of them feature in the prestigious top 100, meaning there is no shortage of choice.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Sitong Li -
1.At the beginning of 2018, the population of the United Kingdom was estimated to be around 66 million.
2.The average national salary in the United States is $63,795.13.
3.6 Australian universities are generally ranked in the top 100 worldwide. These universities often include:

1. Australian National University (ANU)
2. University of Melbourne
3. University of Sydney
4. University of New South Wales (UNSW)
5. University of Queensland
6. Monash University
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Emily Price -
1. The population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,432,993
2. The average annual income in the US is $63,795
3. Six Australian universities currently rank in the top 100 worldwide
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Sarah Kalm -
1. 66,436,000 as of Mid-2018 (Source: Office for National Statistics, National Records of Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency – Population Estimates)
2. $74,580 in 2022 (Source: US Census Bureau)
3. 6 (Source: Times Higher Education)
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Anne Warren -
A. The population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,432,993.
B. The average annual income in the United States (nationwide) was $59,484.
C. The number of Australian universities currently rank in the top 100 worldwide is 6.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Braeden George -
1. 66,432,993 (MacroTrends)
2.$63,795 (U.S Bureau of Labor)
3 6 Universities (TimesHigherEducation)
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Isobel Horton -
1. It was likely to have been between 66,040,229 (mid 2017, ONS) and 66,435,550 (mid 2018, ONS)
2. In 2022, it was $59,430 (FRED St. Louis) - couldn't find anything more recent.
3. According to the 2025 QS World University Ranking's there are currently nine but this is contrasted by THE 2024 rankings, which state there are only six in the top 100 and the mere three mentioned in CWUR's. With them all having different ranking systems/ criteria, the answer depends on what you value more?
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Erin Price -
1. UK population at the start of 2018 was 66,432,993.
2. The United States average salary is $63,795.13.
3. In the top 100 universities, Australia has 6 universities.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Taylor Reed -
1. The population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,432,993.
2. As of 2024, The national average income of the US is just over $59,000
3. There are currently 9 universities rank in the top 100 worldwide:

The University of Melbourne, The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney),The University of Sydney, Australian National University (ANU), Monash University, The University of Queensland, The University of Western Australia, The University of Adelaide, and University of Technology Sydney
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Agustina La Porta -
1) Less than 66,436,000.
2) $59,228 according to Fidelity Investments
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the average U.S. annual salary in Q4 of 2023 was $59,384.
3) 9
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Hannah Hailey -
1. A population of 66,432,993
2. An average of $63, 795
3. 6 Australian universities
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Anna Konder -
1. 66,432,993 (according to Macrotrends; this number has two issues, though: 1) it is for 2018 as a whole, 2) the source of the data is the UN World Population Prospects which presents population estimates (https://population.un.org/wpp/))

2. $59,428 (according to Forbes; different sources give you different numbers, though)

3. 6 (according to Times Higher Education's World University Rankings 2024)
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Kanokporn Wongprakrom -
1. The population of the UK was around 66,436,000.
2. The average annual income of the US is $59,428.
3. Based on the information from QS 2024, it is 9 universities. However, it is only 6 universities if it is cited from Times Higher Education.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Matthew Jolliffe -
1. 66,432,993 - Office for National Statistics
2. $59,228 - U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics
3. 6 - Times Higher Education
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Boliang Wang -
1. 66435600
from the Office for National Statistics of the UK
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/overviewoftheukpopulation/august2019

2. $67500
from U.S. Census Bureau Homepage at:
https://www.test.census.gov/content/dam/Census/newsroom/press-kits/2021/iphi/20210914-slides-income-poverty-plotpoints.pdf

3. 9 universities
https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings?countries=au
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Tom Prior -
The population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,436,000.
The average annual income in the United States is $59,428.
Nine Australian universities are in the top 100 worldwide.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Chris Lyndsay -
1. Around 66,220,000 considering all data is taken from the mid point of 2018 not the start.
2. $63,795 according to the social security administration
3. 6 according to The Times.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by nehir inceoglu -
At the start of 2018, the UK's population was 66,432,993.
The mean annual salary in the United States is $63,795.13.
Australia has six universities that are listed among the top 100 in the world.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Finbarr Duckworth -
(1) 2018 UK Population: ~66,430,000
(2) Average US Annual Income: ~$63,000
(3) AUS University Rankings: Between 5 and 7, it depends on the ranking system you deploy.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Sofia Tapia Ulloa -
1. The UK population was 66.4 million in mid-2018 (GOV.UK)
2. The average annual salary nationwide is $59,428 (Forbes)
3. There are six Australian universities currently ranking in the prestigious top 100 (Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2024)
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Edward Moon -
66,432,993 people living in England at the start of 2018.
$63,795.13 is the average annual income in the US
6 Australian universities amongst the top 100
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Alex Emojevwe Onofeghara -
1. According to the office of National Statistics, UK, the population of UK at the start of 2018 is 66,435,550.

2. According to Forbes to the average income is $59,428.

3. According to Times Higher Education there are 6 Australian Universities in the top 100 Universities worldwide
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Jing Zhou -
1. population: 66,432,993
2. average annual income: $63,796
3. universities:6
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Caitlin Barnett -
1. the population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,432,993
2. average annual income in the US is $63,795
3. 6 Australain universities
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Finley Jackson -
1. In 2018, the population of the UK was 66,436,000 (According to a Macrotrends article).
2. The average annual income in the US is $63,795 (According to the Social Security Administration in a SoFi Learn article).
3. There are 6 universities currently ranked in the top 100 worldwide that are in Australia (According to Times Higher Education).
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Riccardo Ianuale -
The population of the UK at the start of 2018 was 66,436,000.
The average annual income in the USA is $59,428.
Six Australian universities rank in the top 100 worldwide.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Nathan Jeeves -
For an accurate estimate of income per Individual of those working I will exclude those below legal working age and registered earning <$1. I will also refer to income as measured per capita, to more accurately understand income for individuals.*

1.Among those earning $1 or more(over the legal working age of 15), the median income per capita was $40,480.
2.The population of the UK in mid-2018 was estimated to be 66,436,000
3.Referencing 'QS World University Rankings', we can assume nine Australian universities currently rank in the top 100 worldwide
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Maia Crouch -
1. 66,432,993 at the start of 2018
2. $63,795 as of 2024
3. There are 6 Australian universities currently in the top 100
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Megan Taylor-Buckley -
1. According to the Office of National Statistics the population of the UK in mid-2018 was estimated to be 66,436,000.

2. According to the United Stated States Census Bureau the real median household income was $80,610 in 2023. The report for 2024 is not yet available. According to Sofi (a US finance company) the national average salary is $63,795.

3. According to The Time Education there are 6 Australian Universities in the top 100.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Oscar Revell Revell -
1. Circa 66.4 million (Office for National Statistics, 2018)
2. $59,228 (Fidelity, 2024)
3. 9 (QS World University Rankings, 2024)
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Anna Raffaelli -
1. 66,4 million
2. The average annual income is $59,428 per the Forbes Advisor.
3. 6 according to the Times Higher Education's ranking.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Connor Findley -
1. The World Bank Group pegs the 2018 UK population at 66,460,344. This is for the entire year, however, and I was unable to find a source which specified the population at the more specific point of the beginning of the year, for instance January of 2018. The Office for National Statistics gives a mid-year 2018 population estimate of 66,436,000, which is perhaps closer than the full-year estimate of the World Bank Group. SOURCES: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?end=2023&locations=GB&start=1960&view=chart, https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/bulletins/annualmidyearpopulationestimates/mid2018

2. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2022 (the most recent and obviously official report I could find), states that the average annual income BEFORE TAX was $94,003. The PDF of the Bureau's report is cited on this secondary website: https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/average-us-income

3. The U.S. News and World Report's university ranking for 2024-25 includes 9 Australian universities. SOURCE: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/rankings
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Benson Hardy -
1. Population of UK in 2018 - 66,435,550 - Office for National Statistics
2. Average annual salary in the United States $63,795 - Sofi
3. 9 universities in Australia are in the top 100 worldwide - Guardian
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Benjamin Wyant -
1. According to the Office for National Statistics, the population of the UK was 66,436,000 in mid-2018. I was not able to find comparable statistics for January.
2. According to Forbes, the average annual income in the US is $59,428.
3. According to Times Higher Education, six Australian Universities rank in the top 100; QS University Rankings, however, holds that nine Australian universities rank in the top 100.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Yushu Li -
1. The population at the start of 2018 in the UK was 66,432,993
2. The average national salary in the United States is $63,795.13.
3. Six Australian universities rank in the top 100 worldwide.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Jingyu Wang -
1. 66,432,993 was the population of the UK at the start of 2018.
2. $63,795 was the average annual income in the US.
3. there were 6 Australian universities.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Samuel Utting -
1. The population in 2018 was 66,432,993
2. The average US income is $63,795
3. 6 Aussie unis ranked in the Top 100 worldwide
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Tia Singh -
The population was 66,432,993
The average annual income is $63,795
6 Australian universities
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Oliver Ligman -
1) 66,436,000 - ons.gov.uk
2) $80,610 (2023) - census.gov
3) 6 - timeshighereducation.com
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Anna Tolkacheva -
1. 66,432,993
2. $63,795
3. 9 universities, according to the 2024 QS World University Rankings
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Jie Bai -
1. The population of the UK in mid-2018 was estimated to be 66,436,000.
2. In 2023, the median annual wage for all U.S. workers was $48,060.
3. Six.
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Vibha Nagaraja -
1. In the year 2018, population in the UK was 66,432,993
2. Average national salary in the United States is between $63,000 - $87,000 depending on the source of income
3. Australian currently has 7 universities ranked in the top 100 worldwide, with 4 universities moving up their position on 2021
In reply to First post

Re: 5.2 Fact-finding skills

by Owen Geiger -
mid 2018 Census estimates 66.4 million --UK ONS
Median weekly earnings for full time wages and salary workers $1117 --US BLS
7 - random arbitrary lists from google