observations, because it pushes “individuality
out of sight” in pursuit of a broader idea.
The “root-N rule” is the second conse- Battelle Keeps on Giving
quential idea, said Stigler. That’s the notion,
first articulated in 1730, that the accuracy of
your conclusions increases relative to the rate
you accumulate observations. Specifically, to
double that accuracy, you have to increase
the number of observations fourfold.
Third on the list is the idea of “the
hypothesis test,” the statistical notion that
mathematical tests can determine the prob-
ability of an outcome. This idea (though not
the sophisticated math now associated with
it) was in place by 1248, said Stigler, when
the London Mint began periodically to test
its product for composition and weight.
The fourth and fifth consequential ideas
in statistics both had the same source, said
Stigler—an 1869 book by Victorian poly-
math Francis Galton. Hereditary Genius was
a mathematical examination of how talent
John Billy, director of the Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation in Arlington,
is inheritable.
Virginia, holds a check for $5,000 with the ASA’s Director of Programs Martha Aliaga.
Galton discovered through a study of
biographical compilations that a “level of
eminence” within populations is steady over
time and over various disciplines (e.g., law,
medicine). Of the one in 4,000 people who
O
ne of the goals of the American
Statistical Association is to
improve statistics education at
“
… Battelle’s Board of
made it into such a compilation, one-tenth
all levels. It is also a goal for Battelle, an
Directors has established
had a close relative on the same list.
international science and technology
education as a high-
This led to what Stigler called the fourth enterprise that explores emerging areas of
consequential idea: the innovative notion that
science, develops and commercializes
priority initiative.
statistics can be evaluated in terms of internal
technology, and manages laboratories for ”
measurements of variability—the percentiles
customers. Battelle is also the world’s
of bell curves (in statistics terms, “normal
classrooms. STEW will be an online
largest independent research and devel-
distribution”) that in 1869 Galton started to
resource for peer-reviewed lesson plans
opment firm, overseeing more than
employ as scales for talent.
for K–12 teachers. The web site will be
The fifth idea was based upon an empirical
20,000 staff members and managing
maintained by the ASA and accessible to
finding. In a series of studies between 1869
nearly $4 billion in annual research and
K–12 teachers throughout the world.
and 1889, Galton was the first to observe
development revenues.
With Battelle’s commitment to pro-
the phenomenon of regression toward
It is this synergy of goals that has
viding a core foundation in science, tech-
the mean. brought the ASA and Battelle together.
nology, engineering, and mathematics
Essentially, the idea posits that in most
As a committed supporter of the ASA’s
(STEM) education, many of the ASA’s
realistic situations over time—Galton stud-
education programs, Battelle recently
ied familial height variations, for example—
education programs allow Battelle to
gave $5,000 to the ASA in support of
the most extreme observed values tend to
reach its goal of being a catalyst for sus-
Meeting Within a Meeting (MWM), a
“regress” toward the center, or mean.
tainable positive change. In fact, Battelle’s
workshop for K–12 mathematics and sci-
If he could extend his list of conse-
Board of Directors has established educa-
quential ideas in statistics, Stigler said he
ence teachers that was developed to help
tion as a high-priority initiative.
would include random sampling, statistical
teachers meet current mathematics and
Battelle is collaborating with its affili-
design, the graphical display of data, chi-
science requirements.
ated National Laboratories on dozens of
squared distribution, and modern compu-
Last year, Battelle’s Brenda Cox pre-
programs nationwide to advance educa-
tation and simulation. sented a $6,250 check to ASA Executive
tion. It is also redefining what it means to
A century from now, the big ideas in sta-
Director Ron Wasserstein to support cre-
be an engaged corporation by advancing
tistics will still help transform and expand
ating the infrastructure for the STatistics
education through its work in support
knowledge, said Stigler. “Basic statistical con-
Education Web (STEW). Through this
of student achievement, school develop-
cepts, whether you put them in your top five
program, the ASA plans to reach out to
ment, teacher preparation, retention and
or not, [are] important to the way we think
K–12 mathematics and science teach- intervention, policy, and measurement
about things.” n
ers who teach statistics concepts in their and accountability.
8 AMSTAT NEWS DECEMBER 2008
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