That would make too much sense (for the APA). By the way, the sample standard deviation (n-1) is a biased estimator, but the sample variance (n-1) is unbiased.
Cheers, Karl W. -----Original Message----- From: Paul C Bernhardt [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, October 15, 2010 7:13 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] Statistical Symbols, APA Style I don't think it is very clear and I believe that we should err on the side of historical continuity. Given the long history of SD being used for sample standard deviation, lacking an explicit notation that SD is now reserved for biased estimate (denominator n), I would say that both are acceptable for sample standard deviations. Note that there is an explicit listing for biased variance. Imagine if the intent was to change to SD being biased estimator now but formerly was unbiased estimator. A reader would need to keep track of when each journal made the switch. Very bad form. Better would be to eliminate SD as an acceptable abbreviation, use a capital S for biased estimator and lower case s for unbiased estimator. Paul C. Bernhardt Department of Psychology Frostburg State University Frostburg, Maryland -----Original Message----- From: Wuensch, Karl L [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Fri 10/15/2010 5:46 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] Statistical Symbols, APA Style In Table 4.5 of the latest edition of the APA Pub Manual it says to use "s" for "sample standard deviation (denominator sqrt(n-1)). This is new to this edition. This table still includes "SD" for "standard deviation" (presumably with n in the denominator). Since n-1 is almost always used, rather than n, in the standard deviation that is reported in research manuscripts, one would think that SD would pretty much vanish from use. Have APA journals actually shifted from SD to s, and have those who teach APA style? Cheers, ________________________________ [cid:[email protected]] Karl L. Wuensch, Professor and ECU Scholar/Teacher, Dept. of Psychology East Carolina University, Greenville NC 27858-4353, USA, Earth<http://core.ecu.edu/psyc/wuenschk/Earth.htm> Voice: 252-328-9420 Fax: 252-328-6283 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> http://core.ecu.edu/psyc/wuenschk/klw.htm --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13441.4e79e96ebb5671bdb50111f18f263003&n=T&l=tips&o=5712 or send a blank email to leave-5712-13441.4e79e96ebb5671bdb50111f18f263...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=5737 or send a blank email to leave-5737-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
