Re: [tips] Polling...

John Kulig Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:49:12 -0700

I agree with the eyeball method and it fits a distinction I always make between the context of discovery and a context of justification. Most researchers (some tipster might want to say "some researchers") discover based on the eyeball, playing with data sans "rules" as well as prior data, insightful hunches etc etc .. it's probably a long list. Then we must justify to others and that's when we pull out all the statistical expertise, and thank goodness as so much is discovered through serendipity and chance and just plain curiosity. Though, nearly all of us have a big enough statistical super-ego to double and triple check assumptions, procedures etc while in the "justification" phase. And on a few occasions I was discouraged from a hypothesis I _knew_ was correct by those darned p values once properly figured, so they can be very useful helping us give up dead ends.

Speaking of eyeballs, I love to plug the extensive and proper use of graphs (though in this article they are discussed as as part of the "justification" phase)

Constructing knowledge: The role of graphs and tables in hard and soft psychology.

Smith, L. D., and others

American Psychologist, Vol 57(10), Oct, 2002. pp. 749-761.

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John W. Kulig, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Coordinator, University Honors
Plymouth State University
Plymouth NH 03264
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From: "Stuart McKelvie" <smcke...@ubishops.ca>
To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" <tips@fsulist.frostburg.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 10:53:24 AM
Subject: RE: [tips] Polling...

Dear Tipsters,

Continuing on Claudia’s lighter side, whenever we consider results in the research methods course (either from an article or one of our projects), I always ask the class to say what their eyeballs are telling them. Then we look at the stats to see if the eyeballs are correct or not.

Ocularity is a great teaching technique!

Sincerely,

Stuart

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"Floreat Labore"