RE: Math-challenged students

[Diana Kyle]

Hello Tipsters, I don't comment much on TIPS because I'm rather a newcomer, so be easy on me (smile).  I teach elementary stats and felt I should comment about computational formulas. I still use them and I'm not an old relic (haha).  I encourage my students to double check some of the computer analyses from time to time using hand calculations.  Why should we so blatantly rely on SPSS or other computer programs?  There have been errors in these programs like others.  Okay, so these are intro stats students.  I agree, the likelihood of finding errors is rare, especially with basic stats, but what about the other programs they get their hands on? Some of those certainly should be double-checked.  I think this is just as important as discussion of reliance on p-values when covering effect sizes and confidence intervals.  Maybe I am an old fossil and just too stubborn to admit it (haha). Happy Holidays, Diana Diana Kyle, M.A. Psychology Department Fullerton College Fullerton, California Office:  Room 523-0 Phone:  714-992-7166