With all this discussion about methods and rules
I thought that this question might be appropriate:
Has anyone tried using "Comprehending Behavioral Statistics"
by Russell T. Hurlburt, Brooks Cole, 1994 (that I saw)
It seems to be the usual sort of intro stat text, but with a twist.
He makes a large point of showing students how to "eyeball" a dataset
and by doing this to be able to extract the parameters with a fairly
high degree of accuracy. For each parameter he describes a technique
to use, or sometimes a couple of alternate techniques to use.
His claim is that the typical method that authors have been using
results in students grinding away with calculators for tens of minutes
and when they get a resulting number they often have no idea whether
it is right or have any feel for what that number really represents.
He does include all the usual formulas, he hasn't abandoned them.
But he claims that the "eyeball" method can be done much more quickly
and that allows him to have many many more such exercises done in class,
allows students of differing skill levels to all work with some reward
on such problems, etc.
I was considering trying some of the ideas out and thought I would ask
for opinions before subjecting students to one more questionable idea.
Thanks
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