Advancing computer technology is allowing us to downplay instruction
in mechanical procedures and shift emphasis towards teaching the
“art” of statistics. This paper is based upon interviews with six
professional statisticians about statistical thinking and statistical practice.
It presents themes emerging from their professional experience, emphasizing
dimensions that were surprising to them and were not part of their statistical
training. Emerging themes included components of sta tistical thinking,
pointers to good statistical practices and the subtleties of interacting with
the thinking of others, particularly coworkers and clients. The main purpose of
the research is to uncover basic elements of applied statistical practice and
statistical thinking for the use of teachers of statistics.
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