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article · Teaching Mathematics and its Applications An International Journal of the IMA · 2019

Why is it difficult to understand statistical inference? Reflections on the opposing directions of construction and application of inference framework

Fulya Kula, Rüya Gökhan Koçer

Cited by 16Open access

Abstract

Abstract Difficulties in learning (and thus teaching) statistical inference are well reported in the literature. We argue the problem emanates not only from the way in which statistical inference is taught but also from what exactly is taught as statistical inference. What makes statistical inference difficult to understand is that it contains two logics that operate in opposite directions. There is a certain logic in the construction of the inference framework, and there is another in its application. The logic of construction commences from the population, reaches the sample through some steps and then comes back to the population by building and using the sampling distribution. The logic of application, on the other hand, starts from the sample and reaches the population by making use of the sampling distribution. The main problem in teaching statistical inference in our view is that students are taught the logic of application while the fundamental steps in the direction of construction are often overlooked. In this study, we examine and compare these two logics and argue that introductory statistical courses would benefit from using the direction of construction, which ensures that students internalize the way in which inference framework makes sense, rather than that of application.

Cite this paper

APA 7

Kula, F., & Koçer, R. G. (2019). Why is it difficult to understand statistical inference? Reflections on the opposing directions of construction and application of inference framework. Teaching Mathematics and its Applications An International Journal of the IMA, 39(4), 248–265. https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz014

MLA 9

Kula, Fulya, and Rüya Gökhan Koçer. “Why is it difficult to understand statistical inference? Reflections on the opposing directions of construction and application of inference framework.” Teaching Mathematics and its Applications An International Journal of the IMA, vol. 39, no. 4, 2019, pp. 248–65, https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz014.

Chicago

Kula, Fulya, and Rüya Gökhan Koçer. 2019. “Why is it difficult to understand statistical inference? Reflections on the opposing directions of construction and application of inference framework.” Teaching Mathematics and its Applications An International Journal of the IMA 39 (4): 248–65. https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz014.

Harvard

Kula, F. and Koçer, R.G. (2019) ‘Why is it difficult to understand statistical inference? Reflections on the opposing directions of construction and application of inference framework’, Teaching Mathematics and its Applications An International Journal of the IMA, 39(4), pp. 248–265. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz014.

BibTeX
@article{kula2019difficult,
  title = {{Why is it difficult to understand statistical inference? Reflections on the opposing directions of construction and application of inference framework}},
  author = {Kula, Fulya and Koçer, Rüya Gökhan},
  journal = {Teaching Mathematics and its Applications An International Journal of the IMA},
  volume = {39},
  number = {4},
  pages = {248--265},
  year = {2019},
  doi = {10.1093/teamat/hrz014}
}

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