We’ve all been there. Someone drops a flashy statistic, a graph, or a headline that sounds convincing… and your inner researcher is screaming: “Correlation does not equal causation!”

That’s the spark behind one of our favorite designs: Correlation ≠ Causation. It’s a shirt that says, “I read the footnotes,” while doubling as the perfect conversation starter at department mixers, conferences, or even just waiting in line for coffee.

But that’s not the only design for academics who love a little methodological humor. You might also like:

• Academic Publication Flow Chart — a wearable flowchart showing the tortuous path from idea to publication (peer reviewers may laugh… or cry).

• Qualitative at Heart, Quantitative by Grant Requirement — for every scholar who had to trade ethnography dreams for regression tables.

• ANOVA to the Moon — because who wouldn’t want their next significant result to launch like a rocket?

Why Correlation vs. Causation Matters

It’s more than a meme. It’s one of the most important distinctions in all of research. A correlation can show that two variables move together, but causation means one actually affects the other.

For example:

• Ice cream sales and drowning deaths are correlated (both peak in summer), but eating ice cream does not cause drowning.

• Coffee consumption and academic productivity might be correlated, but does coffee cause productivity—or do deadlines cause both?

This is why we teach, retweet, and now… wear the warning.

Want to Go Deeper? Good Reads

If you’re looking for books that explain the correlation/causation divide (and provide fuel for your next rant), check out:

• The Book of Why by Judea Pearl – an accessible introduction to causal inference.

• Causal Inference: The Mixtape by Scott Cunningham – part textbook, part storytelling, and all about causality in practice.

• Statistics Done Wrong by Alex Reinhart – funny, accessible, and full of research “facepalm” moments.

• Spurious Correlations by Tyler Vigen - A hilarious collection of charts showing things that look related but clearly aren’t. (Like Nicolas Cage films vs. swimming pool drownings.) A perfect reminder that graphs can mislead without careful thinking.

• Mastering ‘Metrics by Angrist & Pischke – the econometric take on how to make the leap from correlation to causation.

Why These Shirts Make Great Gifts

For academics, grad students, or the friends who love them, these shirts aren’t just clothing… they’re inside jokes, field notes, and subtle flexes. Whether it’s warning others not to confuse correlation with causation or proudly declaring your love-hate relationship with ANOVA, they spark exactly the kinds of conversations that nerdy people enjoy most.

So grab one for yourself, or gift one to the data nerd in your life. Because if there’s one thing we can causally link, it’s that wearing good shirts leads to great conversations.

Correlation, Causation, and Conversation Starters: Wear Your Stats on Your Sleeve