In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Rolf Dalin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>In a discussion about the desired direction of development of intro
>level statistics courses, a group where I am a member came to a
>preliminary agreement that It is important to develop applied
>statistics. I started to think about that concept in terms of main goals
>of a course. The two main goals I suggest are
>1. abilities to use statistics in scientific work
>2. ability to study statistics further
I would differ on both. In fact, there should not
be ONE "introductory level" statistics course, but
the introduction should be at the highest level of
mathematical understanding which will be attained.
What the non-expert need most of all is to understand
probability, probability modeling, and the evaluation
of consequences, and to be able to FORMULATE investigations
in this manner. The usual study by the one applying
statistics of methods is greatly to be deplored; it is
often necessary to devise new methods for a particular
problem, and the one who does not understand theory is
very likely to mess this up. Understanding need not
require the full mathematics to derive results.
It is totally irrelevant if the student knows how to
compute a mean or a standard deviation. From some
of the postings here, it seems clear that not all
know what they mean and why they should be used, if
at all.
For anything, understand the theory, and then it can
be correctly applied, often with assistance. Learn
methods of application with no understanding, and
they will be misapplied, and it also gets harder to
achieve the understanding.
--
This address is for information only. I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558
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