Resource Library

A cartoon that invites conversation about the type of biases that may result from the way a pollster handles the logistics of taking a survey and thus the importance of careful planning.  The cartoon was used in the February 2022 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by Don Bell-Souder a student at University of Colorado, Boulder. Two alternative captions with the same basic learning object are “Selection bias is in the eye of the beholder” written by Sarah Arpin and “ACME polling finds that bootstrapping still reflects self-reporting bias.” Written by Rosie Garris who are also both students at University of Colorado, Boulder. The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.

A song for discussion of the uses of weighting. In particular, Verse 1 hits the weighted mean (with a nod to Simpson’s paradox), Verse 2 connects with how/why poll data are weighted to help the sample more accurately reflect population characteristics, which can launch a discussion of what we adjust for (probability, sample design, demographics) and how (raking, matching, propensity weighting). This can be supported by examples in GAISE (https://www.amstat.org/docs/default-source/amstat-documents/gaisecollege...) and apps (e.g., https://sites.psu.edu/shinyapps/2018/12/03/weight-adjustment-in-surveys/). Finally, the Bridge touches on weighted regression. Lyrics by Larry Lesser from The University of Texas at El Paso; may be sung to the tune of the 1981 hit "The Waiting" by Tom Petty.  The song received an honorable mention in the 2023 A-mu-sing competition.  Thanks to UTEP’s Jose Villalobos for the song title and for contributing backing vocals and guitar to Larry’s on the recording.

A joke to initiate a conversation about the importance of understanding your Sampling Frame when conducting surveys.  The joke was written by Larry Lesser from The University of Texas at El Paso in 2021.

A cartoon that  can be used to discuss the importance of investigating and understanding the outliers in data sets. The cartoon was used in the January 2023 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by Amelia Williams, a student at University of Toronto. The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.

A cartoon that can be a vehicle to discuss the old GIGO adage (Garbage In Garbage Out) indicating how poor data may well produce poor results. The cartoon was used in the September 2022 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by Jonathan Boucher, a student at Colorado University in Boulder.  The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.

A cartoon that highlights the importance of details in designing an experiment that have important repercussions for one’s ability to interpret the results. The cartoon was used in the May 2022 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by Jim Alloway from the EMSQ Associates.  The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.

A cartoon that  invites conversation about the importance of data in today's society and how it is used as a currency amongst businesses. The cartoon was used in the December 2021 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by Brian King, a student at Rice University. The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.

A cartoon that can be used to help start a class conversation both about the statistical paradigm as well as about the importance of collaborative efforts in carrying out a study.  The cartoon was used in the November 2021 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by Jim Alloway of EMSQ Associates. The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.

A cartoon that can be used to help start a class conversation about the importance of avoiding the removal of outliers without appropriate cause. The cartoon was used in the October 2021 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by Erik Svenneby a student at University of Colorado Boulder. The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.

A cartoon that can be used to help start a class conversation about when it is proper to generalize a conclusion to a broader population. The cartoon was used in the August 2021 CAUSE cartoon caption contest and the winning caption was written by John Bailer from Miami University. The cartoon was drawn by British cartoonist John Landers (www.landers.co.uk) based on an idea by Dennis Pearl from Penn State University.