How Standard is Standard Deviation?
By Dr. Stephen Gorard. Dr. Gorard, author of How to Make Sense of Statistics, was a Methodspace Mentor in Residence in 2021.
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In this brief video, the presenter discusses ideas from my paper on the advantages of the mean deviation. The issue of whether the simpler mean deviation or the more complex standard deviation is to be preferred, when representing the variability of a measurement, was debated almost 100 years ago. The standard deviation has since been preferred by statisticians. But since my paper, and as described in my new SAGE book, the use of the mean deviation has grown dramatically in areas as distinct as genetics, library studies, artificial intelligence, and physics. Watch the video and read the paper.
More Methodspace Posts about Data Analysis
Looking back at 2023, find all posts here!
We explored stages of a research project, from concept to publication. In each quarter we focused on one part of the process. In this recap for the year you will find original guest posts, interviews, curated collections of open-access resources, recordings from webinars or roundtable discussions, and instructional resources.