In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Glen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Kenmlin) wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
..................
>I think part of the problem isn't that the mean, median, mode
>or any particular other measure of location are all that difficult
>to understand, but that /in the context of the data as presented/
>it's very difficult to tell how those definitions relate to the
>data. I can't be sure what the data is representing, so I hesitate
>to hazard an answer. If the student is having some of the same
>problem, compounded with a less-certain understanding of the
>computations involved in finding the quantities in the first place,
>it's no wonder they look for help.
While in a location parameter situation, these are "measures of
location", none of these should be taught as such.
>Before I worry about the teaching, I'd concern myself with the
>problem description. Once that's sorted out, it may turn out
>that the student in fact understands more than they realise.
And this is almost never taught in methods courses. Statistics
is not a black box into which one puts data and gets out the
state of the universe, or even which actions to take.
--
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, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558
.
.
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