Methods to Foster Transparency and Reproducibility of Federal Statistics

Methods to Foster Transparency and Reproducibility of Federal Statistics PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309486297
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 125

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Book Description
In 2014 the National Science Foundation (NSF) provided support to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a series of Forums on Open Science in response to a government-wide directive to support increased public access to the results of research funded by the federal government. However, the breadth of the work resulting from the series precluded a focus on any specific topic or discussion about how to improve public access. Thus, the main goal of the Workshop on Transparency and Reproducibility in Federal Statistics was to develop some understanding of what principles and practices are, or would be, supportive of making federal statistics more understandable and reviewable, both by agency staff and the public. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Methods to Foster Transparency and Reproducibility of Federal Statistics

Methods to Foster Transparency and Reproducibility of Federal Statistics PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309486297
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 125

Get Book Here

Book Description
In 2014 the National Science Foundation (NSF) provided support to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a series of Forums on Open Science in response to a government-wide directive to support increased public access to the results of research funded by the federal government. However, the breadth of the work resulting from the series precluded a focus on any specific topic or discussion about how to improve public access. Thus, the main goal of the Workshop on Transparency and Reproducibility in Federal Statistics was to develop some understanding of what principles and practices are, or would be, supportive of making federal statistics more understandable and reviewable, both by agency staff and the public. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Fostering Integrity in Research

Fostering Integrity in Research PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309391253
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327

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Book Description
The integrity of knowledge that emerges from research is based on individual and collective adherence to core values of objectivity, honesty, openness, fairness, accountability, and stewardship. Integrity in science means that the organizations in which research is conducted encourage those involved to exemplify these values in every step of the research process. Understanding the dynamics that support â€" or distort â€" practices that uphold the integrity of research by all participants ensures that the research enterprise advances knowledge. The 1992 report Responsible Science: Ensuring the Integrity of the Research Process evaluated issues related to scientific responsibility and the conduct of research. It provided a valuable service in describing and analyzing a very complicated set of issues, and has served as a crucial basis for thinking about research integrity for more than two decades. However, as experience has accumulated with various forms of research misconduct, detrimental research practices, and other forms of misconduct, as subsequent empirical research has revealed more about the nature of scientific misconduct, and because technological and social changes have altered the environment in which science is conducted, it is clear that the framework established more than two decades ago needs to be updated. Responsible Science served as a valuable benchmark to set the context for this most recent analysis and to help guide the committee's thought process. Fostering Integrity in Research identifies best practices in research and recommends practical options for discouraging and addressing research misconduct and detrimental research practices.

Transparency in Statistical Information for the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics and All Federal Statistical Agencies

Transparency in Statistical Information for the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics and All Federal Statistical Agencies PDF Author: National Academies Of Sciences Engineeri
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 9780309270458
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Widely available, trustworthy government statistics are essential for policy makers and program administrators at all levels of government, for private sector decision makers, for researchers, and for the media and the public. In the United States, principal statistical agencies as well as units and programs in many other agencies produce various key statistics in areas ranging from the science and engineering enterprise to education and economic welfare. Official statistics are often the result of complex data collection, processing, and estimation methods. These methods can be challenging for agencies to document and for users to understand. At the request of the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), this report studies issues of documentation and archiving of NCSES statistical data products in order to enable NCSES to enhance the transparency and reproducibility of the agency's statistics and facilitate improvement of the statistical program workflow processes of the agency and its contractors. Transparency in Statistical Information for the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics and All Federal Statistical Agencies also explores how NCSES could work with other federal statistical agencies to facilitate the adoption of currently available documentation and archiving standards and tools.

Reproducibility and Replicability in Science

Reproducibility and Replicability in Science PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309486165
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
One of the pathways by which the scientific community confirms the validity of a new scientific discovery is by repeating the research that produced it. When a scientific effort fails to independently confirm the computations or results of a previous study, some fear that it may be a symptom of a lack of rigor in science, while others argue that such an observed inconsistency can be an important precursor to new discovery. Concerns about reproducibility and replicability have been expressed in both scientific and popular media. As these concerns came to light, Congress requested that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conduct a study to assess the extent of issues related to reproducibility and replicability and to offer recommendations for improving rigor and transparency in scientific research. Reproducibility and Replicability in Science defines reproducibility and replicability and examines the factors that may lead to non-reproducibility and non-replicability in research. Unlike the typical expectation of reproducibility between two computations, expectations about replicability are more nuanced, and in some cases a lack of replicability can aid the process of scientific discovery. This report provides recommendations to researchers, academic institutions, journals, and funders on steps they can take to improve reproducibility and replicability in science.

Federal Statistics, Multiple Data Sources, and Privacy Protection

Federal Statistics, Multiple Data Sources, and Privacy Protection PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309465370
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 195

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Book Description
The environment for obtaining information and providing statistical data for policy makers and the public has changed significantly in the past decade, raising questions about the fundamental survey paradigm that underlies federal statistics. New data sources provide opportunities to develop a new paradigm that can improve timeliness, geographic or subpopulation detail, and statistical efficiency. It also has the potential to reduce the costs of producing federal statistics. The panel's first report described federal statistical agencies' current paradigm, which relies heavily on sample surveys for producing national statistics, and challenges agencies are facing; the legal frameworks and mechanisms for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of statistical data and for providing researchers access to data, and challenges to those frameworks and mechanisms; and statistical agencies access to alternative sources of data. The panel recommended a new approach for federal statistical programs that would combine diverse data sources from government and private sector sources and the creation of a new entity that would provide the foundational elements needed for this new approach, including legal authority to access data and protect privacy. This second of the panel's two reports builds on the analysis, conclusions, and recommendations in the first one. This report assesses alternative methods for implementing a new approach that would combine diverse data sources from government and private sector sources, including describing statistical models for combining data from multiple sources; examining statistical and computer science approaches that foster privacy protections; evaluating frameworks for assessing the quality and utility of alternative data sources; and various models for implementing the recommended new entity. Together, the two reports offer ideas and recommendations to help federal statistical agencies examine and evaluate data from alternative sources and then combine them as appropriate to provide the country with more timely, actionable, and useful information for policy makers, businesses, and individuals.

Privacy, Big Data, and the Public Good

Privacy, Big Data, and the Public Good PDF Author: Julia Lane
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1316094456
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 343

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Book Description
Massive amounts of data on human beings can now be analyzed. Pragmatic purposes abound, including selling goods and services, winning political campaigns, and identifying possible terrorists. Yet 'big data' can also be harnessed to serve the public good: scientists can use big data to do research that improves the lives of human beings, improves government services, and reduces taxpayer costs. In order to achieve this goal, researchers must have access to this data - raising important privacy questions. What are the ethical and legal requirements? What are the rules of engagement? What are the best ways to provide access while also protecting confidentiality? Are there reasonable mechanisms to compensate citizens for privacy loss? The goal of this book is to answer some of these questions. The book's authors paint an intellectual landscape that includes legal, economic, and statistical frameworks. The authors also identify new practical approaches that simultaneously maximize the utility of data access while minimizing information risk.

The Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research

The Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research PDF Author: Sally A. Fincher
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108755704
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 1180

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Book Description
This Handbook describes the extent and shape of computing education research today. Over fifty leading researchers from academia and industry (including Google and Microsoft) have contributed chapters that together define and expand the evidence base. The foundational chapters set the field in context, articulate expertise from key disciplines, and form a practical guide for new researchers. They address what can be learned empirically, methodologically and theoretically from each area. The topic chapters explore issues that are of current interest, why they matter, and what is already known. They include discussion of motivational context, implications for practice, and open questions which might suggest future research. The authors provide an authoritative introduction to the field which is essential reading for policy makers, as well as both new and established researchers.

Introduction to the New Statistics

Introduction to the New Statistics PDF Author: Geoff Cumming
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317483375
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 595

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Book Description
This is the first introductory statistics text to use an estimation approach from the start to help readers understand effect sizes, confidence intervals (CIs), and meta-analysis (‘the new statistics’). It is also the first text to explain the new and exciting Open Science practices, which encourage replication and enhance the trustworthiness of research. In addition, the book explains NHST fully so students can understand published research. Numerous real research examples are used throughout. The book uses today’s most effective learning strategies and promotes critical thinking, comprehension, and retention, to deepen users’ understanding of statistics and modern research methods. The free ESCI (Exploratory Software for Confidence Intervals) software makes concepts visually vivid, and provides calculation and graphing facilities. The book can be used with or without ESCI. Other highlights include: - Coverage of both estimation and NHST approaches, and how to easily translate between the two. - Some exercises use ESCI to analyze data and create graphs including CIs, for best understanding of estimation methods. -Videos of the authors describing key concepts and demonstrating use of ESCI provide an engaging learning tool for traditional or flipped classrooms. -In-chapter exercises and quizzes with related commentary allow students to learn by doing, and to monitor their progress. -End-of-chapter exercises and commentary, many using real data, give practice for using the new statistics to analyze data, as well as for applying research judgment in realistic contexts. -Don’t fool yourself tips help students avoid common errors. -Red Flags highlight the meaning of "significance" and what p values actually mean. -Chapter outlines, defined key terms, sidebars of key points, and summarized take-home messages provide a study tool at exam time. -http://www.routledge.com/cw/cumming offers for students: ESCI downloads; data sets; key term flashcards; tips for using SPSS for analyzing data; and videos. For instructors it offers: tips for teaching the new statistics and Open Science; additional homework exercises; assessment items; answer keys for homework and assessment items; and downloadable text images; and PowerPoint lecture slides. Intended for introduction to statistics, data analysis, or quantitative methods courses in psychology, education, and other social and health sciences, researchers interested in understanding the new statistics will also appreciate this book. No familiarity with introductory statistics is assumed.

Frontiers in Massive Data Analysis

Frontiers in Massive Data Analysis PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309287812
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 191

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Book Description
Data mining of massive data sets is transforming the way we think about crisis response, marketing, entertainment, cybersecurity and national intelligence. Collections of documents, images, videos, and networks are being thought of not merely as bit strings to be stored, indexed, and retrieved, but as potential sources of discovery and knowledge, requiring sophisticated analysis techniques that go far beyond classical indexing and keyword counting, aiming to find relational and semantic interpretations of the phenomena underlying the data. Frontiers in Massive Data Analysis examines the frontier of analyzing massive amounts of data, whether in a static database or streaming through a system. Data at that scale-terabytes and petabytes-is increasingly common in science (e.g., particle physics, remote sensing, genomics), Internet commerce, business analytics, national security, communications, and elsewhere. The tools that work to infer knowledge from data at smaller scales do not necessarily work, or work well, at such massive scale. New tools, skills, and approaches are necessary, and this report identifies many of them, plus promising research directions to explore. Frontiers in Massive Data Analysis discusses pitfalls in trying to infer knowledge from massive data, and it characterizes seven major classes of computation that are common in the analysis of massive data. Overall, this report illustrates the cross-disciplinary knowledge-from computer science, statistics, machine learning, and application disciplines-that must be brought to bear to make useful inferences from massive data.

Big Data and Social Science

Big Data and Social Science PDF Author: Ian Foster
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1498751431
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 493

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Book Description
Both Traditional Students and Working Professionals Acquire the Skills to Analyze Social Problems. Big Data and Social Science: A Practical Guide to Methods and Tools shows how to apply data science to real-world problems in both research and the practice. The book provides practical guidance on combining methods and tools from computer science, statistics, and social science. This concrete approach is illustrated throughout using an important national problem, the quantitative study of innovation. The text draws on the expertise of prominent leaders in statistics, the social sciences, data science, and computer science to teach students how to use modern social science research principles as well as the best analytical and computational tools. It uses a real-world challenge to introduce how these tools are used to identify and capture appropriate data, apply data science models and tools to that data, and recognize and respond to data errors and limitations. For more information, including sample chapters and news, please visit the author's website.