Difference between revisions 15483543 and 15920303 on enwiki

Most scientific work starts with a question about the world we live in. For a [[statistician]], these questions can be classified into a few different kinds: 

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In much research, we use all three modes at different stages.  A useful synthesis of this kind of thinking was provided by [[Ludwig von Bertalanffy]].

In every type of research, we must be concerned with managing the [[observational error]] that is inherent in all empirical research. We can increase the precision of our research by 
#using a more precise instrument (e
.g., a more powerful telescope)
#increasing the number of observations so the ''constant'' we try to measure stands out better against the ''noise''.
#changing the design of our research. This last approach can become very technical, so we will postpone its discussion until [[optimum experimental design]].

See also: 
*[[Statistics]] 
*[[Statistical regularity]] 
*[[Statistical model]] 
*[[Summarizing statistical data]] 
*[[Interpreting statistical data]]  
*[[Design of experiments]] 
*[[Survey sampling]]

[[Category:Research]]