Events - Good Statistics Workshop

Good Statistics Workshop

Title:: Good Statistics Workshop
When:: 04.04.2011 - 04.04.2011
Where:: University of Birmingham

Description

MONDAY 4 APRIL 2011

University of Birmingham

MSOR is running a workshop for non-specialists who use and need to report results from applications of statistics in their subject specialist areas. This is motivated by the errors we have noted over many years and observing the bad use of statistics in material published in the media that often lead to outrageous conclusions. We will demonstrate how thoughtful planning and design are key activities that are necessary before applying any statistical techniques.

This workshop is motivated by common statistical misconceptions and mistakes made by users of statistics in a wide range of subjects. We have observed these errors over many years of refereeing papers, reading articles and noting the bad use of statistics in material published in the media that often lead to outrageous conclusions.

We will discuss a range of topics in relation to misconceptions about:

· scales of measurement;

· graphs and charts;

· carrying out surveys;

· formal and informal inference;

· the misuse of outliers.

Such errors can also lead to giving statistics a bad name. We will show how thoughtful planning and design are key activities that are necessary before applying any statistical techniques. Indeed, we argue that trustworthy applications of statistics can only stem from systematically carrying out the paradigm of plan, collect, process and discuss. This is a fundamental part of all scientific enquiry.

Target Audience: non-specialists who use and need to report results from applications of statistics in their subject specialist areas, especially mathematics or statistics education researchers and colleagues in faculties or schools of education.

Pre-workshop reading: ASA report on ‘Using Statistics in Mathematics Education’ (to be circulated to registered participants).

If you would like to attend this meeting then please contact :Janet Nuttall ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Programme
11.00	Coffee and registration
11.30	Introduction
11.35	Scales of measurement · Likert scales · Valid Summary measures
1.00	Lunch
14.00	Graphs and Charts · Aspect ratios · Interpretation
15.00	Design is everything · Surveys · Target populations
15.30	Coffee
16.00	Informal Formal and Inference · What does the sample suggest? · Can the sample tell us anything about the (target) population? · Misuse of outliers
17.00	Close