|
Statistical
Consulting Center CANR Biometry Group |
A175 B
Plant and Soil Sci.
Bldg. |
Access
Opening
Hours
Manuals,
Textbooks
Processing of
Requests
Tracking
System
Sending Data to
the SCC
Liability,
Responsibility
The Statistical Consulting Center (SCC) in the CANR Biometry Group offers statistical advice free of charge to faculty and their associates (Technicians, Graduate Students)
pertinent to research and scholarly
activities. Its mission is to facilitate and aid in the design, analysis, and
interpretation of data.
Statistical consulting with respect
to course-work can not be provided through the SCC and should be sought through
the particular instructors and their teaching assistant(s).
The SCC is open on the days and hours posted on the SCC Home Page. If time permits walk ins will be accommodated. However, appointments are highly encouraged. The center is busy and those with appointments are given priority. There is no guarantee you will be able to meet with a consultant the same day if you walk in. Consulting times other than those during the open hours can be arranged by appointment. See SCC Home Page on how to make appointments.
The SCC provides access to computer manuals, textbooks, and other hardcopy materials. These materials can be perused during the general opening hours. The SCC does not function as a library and no materials are available for check-out.
Consulting requests are processed in the order received by SCC staff. The Consulting Assistant on-site determines whether to
A consulting request is made by either of the following methods:
It is strongly
recommended to fill out Consulting Request
Form prior to making
the appointment and either to e-mail it along with an e-mail request for an
appointment or to bring it to your SCC appointment.
The SCC uses an electronic tracking
system for record keeping, administration, and performance evaluation. If a
consulting project number is assigned to your request, please use this number in
subsequent communication with the center.
Upon completion of the consulting
project, you will be asked to complete a feedback form, which
helps us evaluate the success of the Center.
The SCC is not a data analysis office. Unless explicitly requested, please refrain from sending data sets as attachments with consulting requests. Computer files submitted electronically or provided on disk must be virus free. It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure the quality of the files.
The SCC does not assume responsibility for the correctness of advice given.
These policies may be subject to change.
Who are the Consultants?
Consultants are the staff (Consulting Assistants) of the SCC and the faculty members of the CANR Biometry Group. Because of a tier system with respect to consulting responsibilities, the majority of consulting is mentored by Dr. Sasha Kravchenko, Dept of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Dr. Robert J. Tempelman, Dept of Animal Science. Other faculty members are involved into the activities of the SCC based on their particular expertise. Although you can request to consult with a particular faculty member, individual project assignments to SCC staff and faculty are at the discretion of the CANR Biometry Group.
Is there a Fee?
There is no fee for statistical services by the SCC.
When Should I Contact the SCC?
If you are in the planning process of a study, an experimental design, or a survey, it is recommended to consult with the SCC as early as possible. It is a myth that nifty statistical methods can uncover sophisticated conclusions from poorly designed studies and inappropriately collected data. The damage done by not observing statistical principles of research design and analysis is usually irreversible and permanent. Thus, the general rule is the earlier the better.
Who
The primary user group of the SCC are faculty and associates of the
Where can I go if I am not in the primary user group?
Statistical consulting services are
also available through the Center for
Statistical Training and Consulting,
What should I bring to the first session?
If you seek advice on experimental
design or planning a survey prior to data gathering, bring a clear idea of the
research goals and objectives. For example, hypotheses to be tested, research
questions to be answered.
If help is sought on data analysis
after data collection, bring in addition a copy of the data gathering
protocol, a printout of the data and the results of analyses already performed.
As a printout of the data a few typical observations are usually sufficient. The
variable and observation structure of the data should be clearly discernible
from the printout. Complete printouts of lengthy data sets are not required.
Bringing the data on disk alone is not a substitute for the printout. The SCC
will not produce the necessary printouts for you.
In case of analyses already
performed, both input and output statements are an important source of
information. If you struggle with a particular software package also produce
printouts of log files which indicate error messages.
What if there are follow-up questions?
Follow-up questions are very common. Also, often it is not possible to address all initial questions in a single consulting session. The length of a session should not exceed 30 to 45 minutes for maximum efficiency. Repeat sessions may continue over weeks or months. If you see the SCC for a repeat session, bring documentation pertaining to previous sessions and your project number.
Policies and Procedures -- Request form -- Feedback -- SAS Materials -- Software -- Stat Links -- BiG Home
(C) 2006 CANR Biometry Group, Michigan State University.
The CANR BiG SCC is sponsored jointly by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and the
College of Agriculture and
Natural Resources at
Last updated May, 2006
If you have any questions or comments about this webpage, please e-mail scc@mail.fw.msu.edu.