[R] one-sample binomial test

Bill.Venables@cmis.csiro.au Bill.Venables at cmis.csiro.au
Mon Jul 8 06:22:40 CEST 2002



Andrew Ward observes: 

> This reply, while probably seen as helpful by some, reminds me that
> sometimes the price paid for "free" software is to endure rude,
patronising
> interactions with some of those in the user or developer community.
 
[WNV]  Now there's an insight!  In fact I think that once you get used to
the style you get to appreciate it.  The commercial world substitutes
politeness for candour.  True candour can be disconcerting but it does get
the message across much quicker.  

This rather reminds me of the story of the two sons in the gospel.  One
blandly assures his father that he will do the work and then goes away and
forgets about it.  The other grumbles, complains and winges like mad but in
the end, does in fact do it.  Happily my sons and daughters are more like
the latter, bless 'em.

Bill.

> Tim Wilson originally wrote:
> >> Here's how I solved a problem for my stats class. I'm pretty sure I
> >> understand what's going on, but I wonder if there's a more direct way
> >> to solve it.
> 
> Rolf Turner replied:
> >(a) You definitely don't have to --- and SHOULDN'T --- use ``trial
> >and error''.
> 
> >(b) You should talk to the instructor of your stats class. That's
> >what he or she is paid for.
> 
> >(c) You should also read your textbook.
> 
> >(d) This is a very standard sort of problem. It is also very easy to
> >solve with pencil and paper (or at the very least a hand
> >calculator). You do ***not*** need to use binom.test() (in fact this
> >is counter productive) nor do you need to use prop.power.test() as
> >someone else suggested (although this will do it for you).
> 
> >There is a formula for the required sample size which is surely given
> >in your textbook --- in ***any*** introductory stats textbook. The
> >formula is readily amenable to use with ``hand calculations''. Find
> >the formula and use it.
> 
> >(e) You were given this exercise to get you to learn some of the
> >basic ideas about confidence intervals for proportions. Learn them.
> >Don't try to dodge the issue by pumping numbers through a
> >computerized ``black box''.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Andrew C. Ward
> CAPE Centre
> Department of Chemical Engineering
> The University of Queensland
> Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
> 
>
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
-.-
> r-help mailing list -- Read
http://www.ci.tuwien.ac.at/~hornik/R/R-FAQ.html
> Send "info", "help", or "[un]subscribe"
> (in the "body", not the subject !)  To: r-help-request at stat.math.ethz.ch
>
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
_._
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
r-help mailing list -- Read http://www.ci.tuwien.ac.at/~hornik/R/R-FAQ.html
Send "info", "help", or "[un]subscribe"
(in the "body", not the subject !)  To: r-help-request at stat.math.ethz.ch
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._



More information about the R-help mailing list