The Statistics Seminar speaker for October 15th, 2014 is Howard Wainer, a Research Scientist the National Board of Medical Examiners and author of (most recently) Medical Illuminations: Using Evidence, Visualization and Statistical Thinking to Improve Healthcare.
Talk Title: Uneducated Guesses: Three Examples of How Mistreating Missing Data Leads to Misguided Education Policy
Abstract: In this talk I will describe three educational proposals that only make sense if you say them fast. In each case, their validity relies strongly on the data that are missing to have a particular structure. And, in each case, we can dismiss that assumed missing data structure. The three proposals examined are:
1. Make college entrance exams optional,
2. Allow students to choose which test items they will answer, and
3. Evaluate teachers on the gains their students show in test scores.
Please note that this seminar will take place in 406 Malott Hall. Refreshments will be served after the seminar in 1181 Comstock Hall.