Tag Archives: cats

It’s All in the Technique

Posted on September 19, 2010 by statswithcats

You can’t understand your data unless you control extraneous variance attributable to the way you select samples, the way you measure variable values, and any influences of the environment in which you are working. Using the concepts of reference, replication … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Measure of a Measure

Posted on September 12, 2010 by statswithcats

If you can measure a phenomenon, you can analyze the phenomenon. But if you don’t measure the phenomenon accurately and precisely, you won’t be able to analyze the phenomenon accurately and precisely. So in planning a statistical analysis, once you … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Heart and Soul of Variance Control

Posted on September 5, 2010 by statswithcats

You can’t understand data without controlling the variance. You can’t control variance without understanding the data. Variance Doesn’t Go Away By Ignoring It In an ideal universe, your dataset would contain no bias and only the natural variability you want … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Right Tool for the Job

Posted on August 27, 2010 by statswithcats

Statistics are like power tools. If you know how to use them, they are incredibly valuable and fun to use. They help you do your job better, more thoroughly, and more quickly. But if you are careless, they can cause … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Five Pursuits You Meet in Statistics

Posted on August 22, 2010 by statswithcats

When people think about statistical analyses, they often think only of mind-numbing number crunching that creates yet more numbers. But that’s like touring a cabinetmaker’s shop and seeing only the sawdust. A talented cabinetmaker can create beauty and function in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Time Is On My Side

Posted on August 15, 2010 by statswithcats

If you do much data analysis it won’t be long before you work with data measured over a range of times. When you do see time-series data, you’ll find that time scales and time units have some very quirky properties. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Zen of Modeling

Posted on August 8, 2010 by statswithcats

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word model? The plastic model airplanes you used to build? A fashion model? The model of the car you drive? The person who is your role model? But what … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

There’s Something About Variance

Posted on August 1, 2010 by statswithcats

Imagine practicing hitting a target using darts, bow and arrow, pistol, cannon, missile launcher, or whatever. You aim for the center of the target. If your shots land where you aimed, you are considered to be accurate. If all your … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Samples and Potato Chips

Posted on July 26, 2010 by statswithcats

Samples are like potato chips. You’re never satisfied with just one. Every one you take makes you want more. And you’re never sure you’ve had enough until you’ve had way too many.   Betcha Can’t Take Just One One observation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Purrfect Resolution

Posted on July 17, 2010 by statswithcats

No matter what their area of expertise, statisticians are asked certain questions with such predictability that it borders on the deterministic. No question is asked more often than: How many samples do I need? Most statisticians wish they could answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments