communicate results

Three Designs that Look Like Repeated Measures, But Aren’t

Repeated measures is one of those terms in statistics that sounds like it could apply to many situations. In fact, it describes only one specific situation.

A repeated measures design is one where each subject is measured repeatedly over time, space, or condition on the dependent variable.

These repeated measurements on the same subject are not independent of each other. They’re clustered. They are more correlated to each other than they are to responses from other subjects. Even if both subjects are in the same condition. [Read more…] about Three Designs that Look Like Repeated Measures, But Aren’t

Member Training: Practical Suggestions for Improving Your Scatterplots

by guest

The scatterplot is a simple display of the relationship between two, or sometimes three, variables. You have a wide range of options for displaying a scatterplot. In particular, you can control the location, size, shape, and color of the points in your scatterplot.

What to Do When You Can’t Run the Ideal Analysis

by Karen Grace-Martin Leave a Comment

One activity in data analysis that can seem impossible is the quest to find the right analysis.

I applaud the conscientiousness and integrity that underlies this quest. The problem is in many data situations there isn’t one right analysis.

Member Training: How to Avoid Common Graphical Mistakes

by guest

Good graphs are extremely powerful tools for communicating quantitative information clearly and accurately.

Unfortunately, many of the graphs we see today confuse, mislead, or deceive the reader.

These poor graphs result from two key limitations. One is a graph designer who isn’t familiar with the principles of effective graphs. The other is software with a poor choice of default settings.

Member Training: Writing Up Statistical Results: Basic Concepts and Best Practices

by TAF Support

Many of us love performing statistical analyses but hate writing them up in the Results section of the manuscript. We struggle with big-picture issues (What should I include? In what order?) as well as minutia (Do tables have to be double-spaced?). [Read more…] about Member Training: Writing Up Statistical Results: Basic Concepts and Best Practices

What is a Confounding Variable?

by Karen Grace-Martin Leave a Comment

By Karen Grace-Martin

Confounding variable is one of those statistical terms that confuses a lot of people. Not because it represents a confusing concept, but because of how it’s used. (Well, it’s a bit of a confusing concept, but that’s not the worst part).

First, it has slightly different meanings to different types of researchers. The definition is essentially the same, but the research context can have specific implications for how that definition plays out.

If the person you’re talking to has a different understanding of what it means, you’re going to have a confusing conversation.

Let’s take a look at some examples to unpack this.