The Importance of Practice in the Development of Statistics

The article shows how application and consideration of the scientific context in which statistics is used can initiate important advances such as least squares, ratio estimators, correlation, contingency tables, studentization, experimental design, the analysis of variance, randomization, fractional replication, variance component analysis, bioassay, limits for a ratio, quality control, sampling inspection, nonparametric tests, transformation theory, ARIMA time series models, sequential tests, cumulative sum charts, data analysis plotting techniques, and a resolution of the Bayes-frequentist controversy. It appears that advances of this kind are frequently made because practical context reveals a novel formulation that eliminates an unnecessarily limiting framework.

[1]  J. Hunter,et al.  The Birth of a Journal , 1983 .

[2]  G. Box.  An Apology for Ecumenism in Statistics. , 1983 .

[3]  S. P. Springer,et al.  Left brain, right brain , 1981 .

[4]  George E. P. Box,et al.  Sampling and Bayes' inference in scientific modelling and robustness , 1980 .

[5]  W. A. Wallis.  The Statistical Research Group, 1942–1945 , 1980 .

[6]  Newton E. Morton,et al.  Fisher, the life of a scientist. , 1979 .

[7]  W. G. Cochran.  Laplace's Ratio Estimator , 1978 .

[8]  F. Mosteller,et al.  Data Analysis and Regression , 1978 .

[9]  G. M. Paddle,et al.  Applications of Statistics to Industrial Experimentation. , 1976 .

[10]  Cuthbert Daniel,et al.  Applications of Statistics to Industrial Experimentation: Daniel/Applications , 1976 .

[11]  Oscar Kempthorne,et al.  Experimental design : selected papers of Frank Yates , 1972 .

[12]  W. Youden.  Use of Incomplete Block Replications in Estimating Tobacco-Mosaic Virus , 1972 .

[13]  H. F. Dodge.  Notes on the Evolution of Acceptance Sampling Plans: Part I , 1969 .

[14]  D. J. Finney.  Statistical Method in Biological Assay , 1966 .

[15]  J. Muth.  Optimal Properties of Exponentially Weighted Forecasts , 1960 .

[16]  Peter R. Winters,et al.  Forecasting Sales by Exponentially Weighted Moving Averages , 1960 .

[17]  G. Barnard.  Control Charts and Stochastic Processes , 1959 .

[18]  J. Haldane.  KARL PEARSON, 1857–1957 , 1957 .

[19]  E. S. Page.  CONTINUOUS INSPECTION SCHEMES , 1954 .

[20]  F. Wilcoxon.  SOME RAPID APPROXIMATE STATISTICAL PROCEDURES , 1950 .

[21]  R. Plackett,et al.  THE DESIGN OF OPTIMUM MULTIFACTORIAL EXPERIMENTS , 1946 .

[22]  G. A. Barnard,et al.  Sequential Tests in Industrial Statistics , 1946 .

[23]  D. J. Finney.  THE FRACTIONAL REPLICATION OF FACTORIAL ARRANGEMENTS , 1943 .

[24]  M. G. Kendall,et al.  A Study in the Analysis of Stationary Time-Series. , 1955 .

[25]  H. E. Daniels,et al.  Some Problems of Statistical Interest in Wool Research , 1938 .

[26]  Eugen Slutzky.  Summation of random causes as the source of cyclic processes , 1937 .

[27]  M. Bartlett.  The Square Root Transformation in Analysis of Variance , 1936 .

[28]  R Fisher,et al.  Design of Experiments , 1936 .

[29]  C. I. Bliss.  THE CALCULATION OF THE DOSAGE-MORTALITY CURVE , 1935 .

[30]  L. H. C. Tippett,et al.  Some Applications of Statistical Methods to the Study of Variation of Quality in the Production of Cotton Yarn , 1935 .

[31]  A. R. Crathorne,et al.  Economic Control of Quality of Manufactured Product. , 1933 .

[32]  R. Fisher,et al.  The Influence of Rainfall on the Yield of Wheat at Rothamsted , 1925 .

[33]  R. Fisher,et al.  STUDIES IN CROP VARIATION , 2009 .

[34]  Rory A. Fisher,et al.  Studies in crop variation. I. An examination of the yield of dressed grain from Broadbalk , 1921, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[35]  F. Galton.  I. Family likeness in stature , 1886, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London.