The phrase 'Race/Ethnicity' or "Race/Ethnic Origin" is used throughout various data reporting. It just looks so odd with a '/' slash. Any alternatives? Here are a few examples of the slash in 'real life'
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Why not just use one or the other if you don't like that slash? "Ethnic origin", though, it probably more appropriate since race is not really a well-defined construct.– stoicfuryDec 5, 2011 at 18:57
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1I think this rather belongs to English Langusage & Usage.– Count ZeroDec 5, 2011 at 19:08
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@brian, consider rephrasing the question to ask if there is a better label for web forms or reports. The way you have it now does point to a question of English Usage.– Taj MooreDec 5, 2011 at 20:24
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Agree, it's more of an English Language & Usage question, but the mods on that site aren't interested in having it migrated. Unless you have data showing that it's significant problem, I don't think it's worth worrying about.– Patrick McElhaneyDec 5, 2011 at 21:28
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2 Answers
Trying to be clever can sometimes be confusing.
If people are conditioned to see race, why break the convention?
Deferring to the Census Bureau, and how they present race:
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For our certified emr, we had to list Ethnicity and Race separately, using those exact census descriptions.– LarsTechDec 5, 2011 at 20:06
Ethnicity is the proper term. But, to be perfectly honest, many people don't know what 'Ethnicity' means. Race is a far more common (if less accurate) word used to describe this. Combining the two words reaches the broadest audience, despite it's clunky nature.
