[R] R usage survey

[Hadley Wickham]

> Ok, I am very interested in what methods you plan to use that would be fit under the description "suitably analyzed" for voluntary response data.  From my training and experience the only suitable thing to do with voluntary response data is to put it through the shredder, into the recycle bin, or use as an example of what not to do in introductory textbooks.  Treating voluntary response data (especially given the responses to your post you have seen so far) as if it came from a proper random probability sample does not fit the idea of suitable analysis.

Come on, that's a bit strong.  In real life, it's not always possible
to take a perfectly random sample and assume (at best) that missing
responses are completely at random. Even descriptive analysis on a
flawed sample is better than nothing at all.  Of course you need to be
extremely careful about making inferences about the wider population,
but it's not true that the only thing you can do with survey data is
to throw it in the trash.

Hadley

-- 
Assistant Professor / Dobelman Family Junior Chair
Department of Statistics / Rice University
http://had.co.nz/