1998-02-13 (Week 6)


The Stages of a Statistical Study: "PPDAC"

Problem
Plan
Data
Analysis
Conclusions

Problem

Plan

Data

Analysis

Conclusions


What to Prepare for the Next Class...

Consider our work on the "Effects of effluent on the Kapuskasing River" data in terms of the PPDAC model. At what stage did we enter the process? What do we know about earlier stages of the study? Is there anything we do not know about the earlier stages but need to know to make our analysis more accurate or relevant? If it was decided to go back and re-do earlier stages of the study (not likely, as it would set the work back by a year or more!), what recommendations would you make?

Would the Report you submitted for Assignment #1 be suitable as the "Plain Language Report" described above? If not, how should it be modified?

Re-read the Preface, the Prelude, "How to tackle statistical problems," and Chapters 1 to 6 of Chatfield, Problem Solving: A Statistician's Guide. Much of what he says is summarised above. What other interesting ideas do you find?

The discussion of Box Plots from February 13 is summarised in "How to Interpret a Box Plot in Terms of a Normal Distribution."


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