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Discussion

Too often, statistics has been presented solely as a set of analysis tools. But as the above structure makes explicit, the analysis is but the fourth stage in a series of five which constitute the statistical method. The three stages which precede the analysis are critical to the enterprise - the entire structure forces the proper balance. Seen as a whole, statistical method is not only ubiquitous in empirical investigations but unavoidable.

Nowhere is the need for this balance more apparent than in the teaching of statistics. Over the past seven years we have taught a variety of courses at different levels using the PPDAC structure at the core of the course. Besides giving balance to method, we have found that the structure compels discussion of substantive problems which can be drawn from a wide variety of application areas - industrial, scientific, technological, social, and commercial. The statistical method can be taught at almost any level of mathematical sophistication. Substantive and interesting problems can be addressed without resort to complex analysis tools, large data sets, or even significant computational resources. What is required is a rich context for each example in order to describe the details within the structure; these examples tend to grow into case studies.

In our introductory courses we have found over time that the complexity of analysis methods has been reduced as more and more time is devoted to the stages other than Analysis. On final examinations, for example, only about one third of the marks are assigned to questions directly related to the Analysis stage. The major goals of our introductory course are first to understand the universal need for empirical methods and second to understand and be able to use the statistical method in a variety of contexts.

The structure and language introduced can also be used to clarify some statistical issues which have provoked controversy in the past. Here we give three examples.


next up previous
Next: On method in science. Up: Statistical Method and Michelson's Previous: The Conclusion

2000-05-24