What do you want to do? Here are some possible ideas that I have.
Sustaninable genetic diversity
Ingrid heard some stuff about how if a population goes below "X", it isn't genetically sustainable. And other arguments about how land can only sustain so much. We were wondering about the types of statistical reasoning behind such arguments. Some might be discussion around how the regression model is used in prediction. Other issues include statistics and population genetics and the use of prediction models in sustainability type arguments.
Variability arguments
Going back to the concepts in chapter 4, an article with Stephen Jay Gould shows how you can make arguments (hypotheses, etc.) about variability in addition to arguments about mean differences.
two basic models
Most basic statistics use either a regression (correlation) model or an ANOVA model (t-test). The difference between the two is like the difference between a continuous scale and a dichotomous scale.
Interactions
It's not genes or the environment, it's both. It's not the person or the situation, it's both. Well, what kind of both?
You all come up with understandings of the world that involve interactionl models, let's try to identify them and talk about how you'd see whether the data fit those ideas. This is a follow up on the transactional lens. See the Non-linear idea below, too, for the next step beyond...
Stats in the newspaper
Every day reports use statistics to prove points. Where do you see them? Do they convince you? What more do you need to know?
I have a bunch of articles I cut out that make me think about these issues.
Say you're surveying one treatment center. How are the methods and statistics issues different when you only want to apply the methods to that center? For policy purposes for County planning? For basic knowledge?
Designs for Clinical Use
What are the issues facing research in clinical settings? What is a waiting list control group? How do I adapt the scientific method to answer the question, "Is this treatment working?"
the Golden Section & mathematics for understanding thinking
Going back to "Donald in Mathmagic Land", consider the golden section. Researchers have looked at whether or not this principle helps us understand what the eye sees as attractive in a face or a building.
Linear and Non-linear models
You get tired of more is better? Life is complex, no? What are some attempts to model this? There are ways to begin to get at these more interesting ways of describing the world within the basic models (regression and ANOVA), and there are new ways to measure these. This is a follow-up on the "thought candy" of the transactional lens -- catastrophe, cusp models, that ever-cool sounding chaos theory.
