Statistical Tools in Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Statistical Tools in Research - Essay Example A t-test is a statistical tool that can help evaluate the average results between two independent groups (statsoft.com). In this case, the independent groups are the proposed and reported methods. The means of the two methods were compared to determine the values for the t-test (fao.org). The t-test values with their respective n degrees of freedom were determined using the Student’s t-test table, and the researchers were able to provide evidence that the proposed and reported methods are similar. The F-test is a ratio of the variances and measures the similarity of the results obtained using two different methods (fao.org). Given the F-value for then degrees of freedom, the authors were able to establish that their proposed method is similar to the reported method. The accuracy of the method, expressed as % Recovery, was also measured. The recovery, in terms of percentage, is a ratio of the actual result and the theoretical value in the study (Narayana and Sunil, 207 – 208). The study conducted by Ward et al. (696-698) also used the mean and SD to compare the pancreatic cancer cases brought about by nitrates and those of the control population. The researchers used the odds ratio and % confidence interval to quantify their observations. However, in the calculation of the odds ratio, adjustments had to be made to account for age, gender and smoking habits of the participants. The odds ratio is a ratio of the probability of a particular event or disease to occur with its probability of not occurring (Goldin, stats.org). The values obtained will have a maximum value of 1, which implies a 50:50 chance of occurring and not occurring. The mean and standard deviation of results do not only provide the spread of the data in the population but can also be used to compare two different methods and arrive at associations between a disease and  its possible causes. Narayana and Sunil were able to optimize the use of statistics in the study that they conducted, with the use of the t-test and F-test.  

Critical analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Critical analysis - Essay Example and the overall effectiveness for how they were employed to capture and engage the attention of the reader, promote the structural integrity of the piece, and define the relevant actors and factors in question. Firstly, the speaker of the story is defined near the introduction; something that is useful in engaging the reader’s interest and providing a non-uniform approach to story-telling that encourages the reader to read on as a means of finding out such relevant information. Additionally, whereas many writers stray from a first person narrative and forget that they started down a path that they must adhere to, the speaker of this particular story keeps this first person narrative voice throughout the entirety of the piece; another element of strength that allows for the reader not to suffer from speaker whiplash. Yet, with respect to the metric of occasion, this is where the story falls short. Although it is clear and apparent, after reading the story, that the author has sought to engage the reader with many different anecdotes, compiled within a short story, the underlying occasion and purpose that the story is able to exhibit is unclear. The reader is left to determine whether racial profiling, life as a conservative member of Islamic society, in-flight turbulence, work related moves, or the father’s beauty is the core and underlining purpose and occasion for this story to be written. This oversight significantly takes away from the rhetorical appreciation that the reader might otherwise attempt to gain from this story. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that without a central and cohesive plot that seeks to relate to the title of the story, the reader is left to flounder about within a stream of recollection style of writing in which seemingly disconnected plot lines are related as a means of filling space. Perhaps the strength of the entire piece could be maximized if the writer instead chose to focus the paper on the trip