Victor Cohn - Collected Quotes

"Different problems require different methods, different numbers. One of the most basic questions in science is: Is the study designed in a way that will allow the researchers to answer the questions that they want answered?" (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"If the group is large enough, even very small differences can become statistically significant." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"In common language and ordinary logic, a low likelihood of chance alone calling the shots means 'it’s close to certain'. A strong likelihood that chance could have ruled means 'it almost certainly can’t be'." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"Most importantly, much of statistics involves clear thinking rather than numbers. And much, at least much of the statistical principles that reporters can most readily apply, is good sense." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"Nature is complex, and almost all methods of observation and experiment are imperfect." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"[…] nonparametric methods […] are methods of examining data that do not rely on a numerical distribution. As a result, they don’t allow a few very large or very small or very wild numbers to run away with the analysis." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"Regression toward the mean is the tendency of all values in every field of science – physical, biological, social, and economic – to move toward the average. […] The regression effect is common to all repeated measurements. Regression is part of an even more basic phenomenon: variation, or variability. Virtually everything that is measured varies from measurement to measurement. When repeated, every experiment has at least slightly different results." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"Statistically, power means the probability of finding something if it’s there.[…] statisticians think of power as a function of both sample size and the accuracy of measurement, because that too affects the probability of finding something." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"The big problems with statistics, say its best practitioners, have little to do with computations and formulas. They have to do with judgment - how to design a study, how to conduct it, then how to analyze and interpret the results. Journalists reporting on statistics have many chances to do harm by shaky reporting, and so are also called on to make sophisticated judgments. How, then, can we tell which studies seem credible, which we should report?" (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"The first thing that you should understand about science is that it is almost always uncertain. The scientific process allows science to move ahead without waiting for an elusive 'proof positive'. […] How can science afford to act on less than certainty? Because science is a continuing story - always retesting ideas. One scientific finding leads scientists to conduct more research, which may support and expand on the original finding." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"Where many known, measurable factors are involved, statisticians can use mathematical techniques to account for all the variables and try to find which are the truly important predictors. The terms for this include multiple regression, multivariate analysis, and discriminant analysis, and factor, cluster, path, and two-stage least-squares analyses." (Victor Cohn & Lewis Cope, "News & Numbers: A writer’s guide to statistics" 3rd Ed, 2012)