[R-SIG-Mac] learning R

[Pfister]

As Carl said, a learning curve plots performance (knowledge) as a 
function of time, at least that is how it has been used in psychology 
and the learning sciences for a hundred years. So a "steep" learning 
curve implies "easy to learn" .... but the metaphor of being "steep" = 
"hard to climb" = "difficult" seems to be intuitively compelling for 
many people, so I gave up on correcting people on the wrong use of 
"steep learning curve" ;-)

Rüdiger Pfister


>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2010 10:25:50 +1300
> From: Rolf Turner<r.turner at auckland.ac.nz>
> To: Carl Witthoft<carl at witthoft.com>
> Cc: "r-sig-mac at r-project.org"<r-sig-mac at r-project.org>
> Subject: Re: [R-SIG-Mac] learning R
> Message-ID:<E406B41A-F113-4907-B385-2170AC66C0C0 at auckland.ac.nz>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>
> I agree with you completely about ``begging the question''.  The
> nearly universal misuse of this expression drives me crazy.  I'm
> not so sure about ``steep learning curve'' however.  My impression
> is that this phrase has *always* been used to convey the idea that
> a subject area is difficult to learn, whence to use it (as you suggest)
> in the sense that the subject area can be learned quickly would be to
> change the original meaning of the phrase.  That would be undesirable,
> even given that the original meaning is counter-intuitive.
>
> I recall having heard/read a ``justification'' for the original meaning
> to the effect that what is envisaged is plotting effort expended on
> the *y* axis and knowledge level on the *x* axis.  Thus a steep learning
> curve would entail expending a great deal of effort for a small increase
> in knowledge.
>
> I agree that this is a silly choice of axes --- I certainly wouldn't make
> such a choice.  But I don't suppose that there's any law against it.
>
> 	cheers,
>
> 		Rolf Turner
>
> On 11/12/2010, at 4:22 AM, Carl Witthoft wrote:
>
>> Next to "begging the question,"  the phrase "steep learning curve" is
>> probably the most misused cliche out there.
>>
>> A 'learning curve' represents knowledge (or understanding) as a function
>> of time.  THerefore,  the steeper the better.
>> Please help save the English language from descent into Humpty-Dumpty
>> land, and train your colleagues in the correct usage of both these terms.
>>
>> Carl
>>
>>> Message: 2 Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 09:51:27 -0800 From: Payam
>>> Minoofar<payam.minoofar at meissner.com>  To:
>>> "r-sig-mac at r-project.org"<r-sig-mac at r-project.org>  Cc:
>>> "deniz.kellecioglu at gmail.com"<deniz.kellecioglu at gmail.com>  Subject:
>>> [R-SIG-Mac] R for Mac, good enough?
>>> Message-ID:<53DF393B-2037-4B0D-890F-8DBAA1BA1F55 at meissner.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>>>
>>> The power of R is virtually unmatched, and R for Mac works extremely
>>> well.
>>>
>>> The learning curve is steep, however, and documentation is difficult
>>> to grasp, even though it is abundantly available. I am more partial
>>> to a commercial data analysis package with which I grew up, but I
>>> have done enough work with R on the mac platform to recommend it
>>> highly.
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> R-SIG-Mac mailing list
>> R-SIG-Mac at r-project.org
>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-mac
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> R-SIG-Mac mailing list
> R-SIG-Mac at r-project.org
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-mac
>
>
> End of R-SIG-Mac Digest, Vol 94, Issue 6
> ****************************************

-- 
Hans-Ruediger Pfister
Professor of Psychological Decision Research and Methods
Institute of Experimental Industrial Psychology (LueneLab)
Leuphana University Lueneburg
D-21335 Lueneburg / Germany
http://www.leuphana.de/en/hans-ruediger-pfister.html