4.29.2011

Comparing Groups: Randomization and Bootstrap Methods Using R

I have recently finished the writing of a manuscript for John Wiley & Sons called Comparing Groups: Randomization and Bootstrap Methods Using R. It is intended as a graduate-level statistics textbook for courses offered in social science programs. The content provides the statistical foundation for researchers interested in answering questions about group differences through the introduction and application of current statistical methods made possible through computation—including the use of Monte Carlo simulation, bootstrapping, and randomization tests. 


Rather than focus on mathematical calculations like so many other introductory texts in the behavioral sciences, the approach taken in this book is to focus on conceptual explanations and the use of statistical computing. The authors agree with the sentiments of David Moore, who stated,

calculating sums of squares by hand does not increase understanding; it merely numbs the mind.
Perhaps the best writing in the book will be in the Foreword, which George Cobb was gracious enough to write (even after reading the book). The website for the book includes all of the data sets, data codebooks, and R scripts used in the book.

You can pre-order the book at Amazon or from Wiley

4.25.2011

My iPhone Data

Earlier this week, data scientists Pete Warden and Alasdair Allen wrote that

your iPhone, and your 3G iPad, is regularly recording the position of your device into a hidden file. Ever since iOS 4 arrived, your device has been storing a long list of locations and time stamps. We're not sure why Apple is gathering this data, but it's clearly intentional, as the database is being restored across backups, and even device migrations.

They also released an open-source application to map this data. Below are two screenshots of my iPhone data. One is zoomed in at the more regional level.