Estimation versus falsification approaches in sport and exercise science

There has been a recent resurgence in debate about methods for statistical inference in science. The debate addresses statistical concepts and their impact on the value and meaning of analyses’ outcomes. In contrast, philosophical underpinnings of approaches and the extent to which analytical tools match philosophical goals of the scientific method have received less attention. This short piece considers application of the scientific method to “what-is-the-influence-of x-on-y” type questions characteristic of sport and exercise science. We consider applications and interpretations of estimation versus falsification based statistical approaches and their value in addressing how much x influences y, and in measurement error and method agreement settings. We compare estimation using magnitude based inference (MBI) with falsification using null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), and highlight the limited value both of falsification and NHST to address problems in sport and exercise science. We recommend adopting an estimation approach, expressing the uncertainty of effects of x on y, and their practical/clinical value against pre-determined effect magnitudes using MBI.     

Directing an APA-approved school psychology program: Reasons,responsibilities, benefits

Directors of American Psychological Association (APA)-approved school psychology programs were surveyed to determine what responsibilities and benefits attend their role as training director; they also were asked to identify what they liked about serving in the training director role. Of 42 possible respondents, 33 (79%) returned usable questionnaires. Several responsibilities that all or virtually all of the training directors engaged in were identified (e.g., end-of-year APA report preparation); many respondents (61%) received release time from a class, but otherwise any benefits they received were few; and several important, motivating reasons (e.g., contributing to the future of school psychology) for functioning as a training director were identified. The implications of these findings for school psychology programs are briefly discussed.     

Optimizing samples for surveys of public libraries: Alternatives and compromises

A recent national survey polled the viewpoints of public library directors and local government officials concerning the value of public library services and outlook for local tax support of public libraries over the next five years. The survey had multiple objectives: (1) to compare subgroups of smaller and larger libraries on key survey variables; (2) to obtain estimates within the library subgroups with adequate statistical precision; and (3) to make survey estimates for the total public library population. To determine how to best satisfy these competing requirements, the 1993 Federal-State Cooperative System (FSCS) universe listing was used to model the effect on survey accuracy of alternative sample designs. A compromise was chosen for the survey to insure that the sampling error for each type of estimate would be held within tolerable bounds. FSCS library-universe data are then used to model and compare the efficiency of six alternative sample designs for a national survey of 1,000 public libraries.     

Implementing School Restructuring in the Inner City

The purpose of this research was to examine school reform at a local level. Our analysis centered on the impact that the Accelerated Schools model had on two inner-city elementary schools in New Orleans. Key to our interpretation was addressing prevalent social issues, including poverty, racism, and single-parent families, embedded in everyday life in urban communities. The findings illuminate the need to resolve racial, social, and ideological conflicts for school change to take root in inner-city schools.