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EEG data for time series

3 messages · Bert Gunter, Ben Bolker

Bert Gunter
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(Sorry, failed to cc the list)
On Sat, Mar 9, 2013 at 10:11 PM, Bert Gunter <bgunter at gene.com> wrote:
Erin:

 If this is a question about statistical methodology for such complex
 data, then all I can say is: surely you jest! -- it's off topic and
 farfetched, to say the least, to expect useful advice from remote,
 anonymous, "experts" unfamiliar with the work, the goals, the
 peculiarities of the data, the ...

 But quoting George Box (from a long time ago) on the same sort of
 query for a much different problem: "Well, of course the first thing
 to do is graph the hell out of it."

 Cheers,
 Bert

  
    

      
      
    

  


  


    

    

      
      

        


  

        

      Ben Bolker
    

    

      
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Bert Gunter <gunter.berton <at> gene.com> writes:

            

      
      
      
    

        
[snip]

            

      
      
      
    

        
Great quote.  Do you have a source for this, or is it anecdotal
(I'd still use it, but having an attribution would be wonderful)?  
Googling '"graph the hell out of it" box'
mostly comes up with this post ...

  
  


  


      

    

    

      
      

        


  

        

      Bert Gunter
    

    

      
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Ben:

 My recollection is that it was an answer to a question he received
from the audience at a (JSM? Gordon Conference? Other ...?)
presentation.  For obvious reasons, it stuck with me, but I can't do
better than that. I'm pretty sure it was in the mid to late 1990's
when John Tukey was still alive, because I remember thinking about
George's reply in light of Tukey's pioneering efforts to raise the
profile of statistical graphics, which had fallen into relative
disfavor during the 1960's - 1980's first wave of statistical software
development (contrary views welcome!).  Tukey's work and hi-res
graphics software changed all that of course!

BTW, another favorite Box quote, which I know I heard in a class from
him in the 70's at U of W  (he may have said/written it elsewhere,
too) that deserves to be remembered was:

"The business of the statistician is to catalyze the scientific
learning process."

Best,
Bert

        
On Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 2:52 PM, Ben Bolker <bbolker at gmail.com> wrote: