Resource Library

The following exercise can illustrate the problem of bias in estimators to students in statistics courses. In some advanced courses an alternative estimator may be presented and properties of this estimator may be investigated via Monte Carlo studies.

This article provides the example of student form orders to demonstrate the unreliability of combining data from two different distributions (or subjects).

A specially-designed statistical literacy course is needed for college students in majors that don't require statistics or mathematics. This paper suggests that key topics in conditional probability, multivariate regression and the vulnerability of statistical significance to confounding should be included and presents some new ways to teach these ideas.

This paper presents three graphs that are used in teaching students majoring in business and the humanities. These graphs show the influence of confounding, the meaning of statistical significance, and the influence of confounding on statistical significance.

This paper presents rules for determining whether an index variable in such a table is part or whole depending on whether the associated margin value is an average, a sum or a 100% sum. Tables with missing margin values -- date-indexed tables, half tables and control tables -- are analyzed. Recommendations are made to improve reader understanding of any table involving rates or percentages.

This article discusses teaching causality without being discipline specific. It explains the causal differences between description, prediction and explanation.

This survey assesses statistical literacy. The survey focuses on the general use of informal statistics in everyday situations: reading and interpreting tables and graphs involving rates and percentages.

This is a Java Applet, which allows you to load your personal data and edit data. It provides interval and endpoint values and the option to view as a histogram.

This Java Applet of a scatterplot allows you to enter data, move data points, define the range of values, and view graph value information.

This is a three day lesson plan. The first day is an introduction to concepts in probability. The second day is an application of probability in the field of genetics. The third day is a time for students to expand their understanding of probability and genetics via short research project. The site includes resources, advice, and notes to the teacher. Probability topics include: law of large numbers, simple and compound events, sample size, sample space, and more.