Continue reading “Found in translation”We were songbirds, we were Greek Gods
We were singled out by fate
We were quoted out of context – it was great.
Prefab Sprout, “Electric guitars”
Category: General reactions
Post covers a topic that is relevant at any time
Did Hamlet wish for better data?
To open or not to open? that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.
William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Did Hamlet wish for better data?
Continue reading “Did Hamlet wish for better data?”Numbers and their baggage
Numbers often get the spotlight in news stories. Sometimes they deserve the front stage as valuable information describing a situation that would be hard, if not impossible, to adequately capture without them. But, they can also easily mislead. All numbers in the news come with baggage. For some numbers, the baggage is out in the open like a carry on, but for many it is of unknown form, size, and weight – and hidden deep in the baggage compartment.
Continue reading “Numbers and their baggage”How to save yourself using a bit of logic and statistics
Logical versus emotional motives. Perceptions versus observed numbers. We are always facing a fight between two sides of the same coin. When we feel anxious, scared, or worried, we look for certainty. Several examples arise in day-life activities.
Continue reading “How to save yourself using a bit of logic and statistics”The Way of the Statistician and the Way of the Physicist
The rules of evidence as presented in statistics textbooks are not the same as the informal criteria that statisticians and practitioners use in deciding what methods to use. What are the similarities and differences between statistical thinking and the modeling done in the physical sciences?
Continue reading “The Way of the Statistician and the Way of the Physicist”People are not plants … and a little meditation
On this Groundhog Day, I should be focused on how many weeks are left in winter. Instead, I still find myself in that period of reflection spurred on by the arbitrary change of number associated with our calendar. As for many, 2020 was marked by much change in my life. I attribute much of the positive to attempts to build various mindfulness practices into my life. As a statistician, I often find myself in a tension between caring and not caring about results of research on such practices. Why the tension?
Continue reading “People are not plants … and a little meditation”Statistician reacting to Statisticians (and others) reacting to the news: A meta-post with reading recommendations
Writers from both inside and outside statistics have taught me a great deal about thinking about data, data analysis, statistics, measurement AND about communicating statistics to the public. I have been inspired, and my thinking has been shaped by these contributions. I want to share some recommendations in this post.
Continue reading “Statistician reacting to Statisticians (and others) reacting to the news: A meta-post with reading recommendations”Pandemic and Statistics Marriage: Happy or not? Can we make it work?
The world is immersed in the worst cataclysm of the last 100 years. The quality of the data and the transparency of the methods worldwide is key to solve it. The International Statistical Institute (ISI) may have a leading role in their improvement.
Continue reading “Pandemic and Statistics Marriage: Happy or not? Can we make it work?”Statistics is for statisticians
No, I’m not a statistician. I’m one of those biologists who, for decades, misused null hypothesis significance testing for testing hypotheses.
Continue reading “Statistics is for statisticians”Trust and authority: Connecting the world with data and statistics
October 20 is World Statistics Day. A celebration of data, statistics and statisticians everywhere.
Continue reading “Trust and authority: Connecting the world with data and statistics”