Statistically significant is a term that is often bandied about. What does it really mean? Why is it important? First–why is it important? It is important because it helps the evaluator make decisions based on the data gathered. That makes sense–evaluators have to make decisions so that the findings can be used. If there isn’t… Continue reading
Alternative facts. Never. Never. has evaluation been questioned with the label of “alternative facts.” Over the years, I have been very aware that evaluation is a political activity. I have talked about evaluation being political (here, and here, and here, and here ). But is it? Is it just another way of making the answer… Continue reading
This is a link to an editorial in Basic and Applied Social Psychology. It says that inferential statistics are no longer allowed by authors in the journal. “What?”, you ask. Does that have anything to do with evaluation? Yes and no. Most of my readers will not publish here. They will publish in evaluation journals… Continue reading
People often ask me what is a good indicator of impact…I usually answer world peace…then I get serious. I won’t get into language today. Impact–long term outcome. For purposes of today, they are both the same: CHANGE in the person or change in the person’s behavior. Paul Mazmanian, a medical educator at Virginia Commonwealth University… Continue reading
Ever wonder where the 0.05 probability level number was derived? Ever wonder if that is the best number? How many of you were taught in your introduction to statistics course that 0.05 is the probability level necessary for rejecting the null hypothesis of no difference? This confidence may be spurious. As Paul Bakker indicates in… Continue reading
Statistics are not the dragon you think it is. For many people, the field of statistics is a dragon in disguise and like dragons, most people shy away from statistics. I have found that Neil Salkind’s book “Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics” a good reference for understanding the basics of statistics. The… Continue reading