Homework Advice

• Always write well.

        1. Use full, complete, grammatically correct sentences.

        2. When dealing with real (or even hypothetical data), always relate your comments to the context at hand.

• Organize and label computer output well.

        1. Refer to computer output from within the sentences and paragraphs that you write.

        2. Do not hand in computer output that you do not refer to.

        3. Make sure that all displays are labeled clearly.

        4. Make sure that all axes are labeled clearly.

• Give thorough descriptions. Pretend that you are writing to folks with no knowledge of the context.

        1. Do not overlook the obvious feature of center/location.

        2. Do not overlook variability.

        3. Do not overlook the shape of the distribution.

        4. Comment specifically on outliers.

• When drawing conclusions from inference procedures, relate your conclusions to the context.

1. Do not use a phrase like "the data provide strong evidence" without specifying what the data provide strong evidence of in the context of the study at hand.

2. Do not use a phrase like "reject the null hypothesis" without indicating what that hypothesis says in the context of the data being studied.

3. Do not refer to a confidence interval without specifically mentioning what parameter the interval is estimating.

...