The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #97874   Message #2014849
Posted By: Arne
02-Apr-07 - 08:42 PM
Thread Name: BS: The statistics on Iraq... How many?
Subject: RE: BS: The statistics on Iraq... How many?
Teribus:

[282RA's Guardian quotes]: "The Ministry of Defence's chief scientific advisor said the research was "robust", close to "best practice", and "balanced". He recommended "caution in publicly criticising the study".

Now nowhere in any of that do I see the words "accurate" or "reliable" -TRUE?


Ahhh, splitting hairs, IC. "Robust", "best practise", and "balanced" tend to imply "accurate" and "reliable" as well. A "robust" study is both more accurate and reliable as one that is less "robust". You need to learn some stats, and learn what statisicians mean by "robust". Hint: It doesn't mean "fat". "Balanced" also goes to accuracy (although not precision). "Best practise" is less precise as a description, but implies that the research methods are the best available in determining the results, which would also imply they are most likely to get the most accurate and reliable results.

Cheers,