It is asserted that statistics must be relevant to making inferences in science and technology. The subject should be renamed statistical science and be focused on the experimental cycle, design-execute-analyse-predict. Its part in each component of the cycle is discussed. The P-value culture is claimed to be the main prop of non-scientific statistics, leading to the cult of the single study and the proliferation of multiple-comparison tests. The malign influence of P-values on protocols for the analysis of groups of experiments is discussed, and also the consequences of the formation of inferentially uninteresting linear models. Suggestions for action by statisticians include the sorting out of modes of inference, the removal of non-scientific procedures, the offering of help to editors, the promotion of good software and teaching methods built round the experimental cycle.
The Statistician joined the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society as its Series D from the journal of the Institute of Statisticians after the merger of the two bodies in 1993. The journal was first published by the Institute in 1950 as The Incorporated Statistician. It is now a valuable resource for professional statisticians involved in industry, academic research and education. Articles reflect current research by statisticians worldwide and cover key issues in an informative and accessible way. Some themes of interest to the journal are the teaching and communication of statistics, statistical computing and all aspects of statistics in sport. The journal also aims to bridge the gap between statistical theory and practice and to provide access to currently active or new areas of research by the regular publication of review articles by specialists in these fields. Other important themes include the history and philosophy of statistics and the interaction of statistics with other disciplines as diverse as geography and medicine. The journal thus attempts to reflect the maturity of statistics as a science in its own right and as an intrinsic component of scientific endeavor. JSTOR provides a digital archive of the print version of The Statistician. The electronic version of The Statistician is available at http://www.interscience.wiley.com. Authorized users may be able to access the full text articles at this site.
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Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series D (The Statistician)
© 1999 Royal Statistical Society
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