According to the text, a good statistician examines the data points before proceeding and questions causality after the statistical analysis.What would that statistician be doing during each of these two phases of a regression analysis?
A) Before the test, examine for linearity, and after the test, consider confounding variables that might help to understand cause.
B) Before the test, examine for errors in the data, and after the test, conjecture about possible causes using the ABC model.
C) Before the test, check for outliers, and after the test, run an experiment to reveal causal relations.
D) Before the test, create appealing visual displays of data, and after the test, create theories about causation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The text states that a good statistician examines the data points before proceeding, which includes checking for linearity and outliers. After the statistical analysis, the statistician should consider confounding variables that might help to understand cause, which involves questioning causality. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because the text does not mention the ABC model. Option C is also incorrect because running an experiment may not always be possible or necessary. Option D is incorrect because creating visual displays of data is not always useful in all situations, and creating theories about causation should be done after examining for confounding variables.

According to the Text, a Good Statistician Examines the Data