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This is a R project based on the Robert Matthews paper Storks vs Babies. The idea is to replicate the results of the paper (replication), learn a bit about R for linear fits and graphing, (including pulling fit coefficients from the summary stats), exposure to p-values, and explore correlation versus causation in a fun way. This paper was discussed also as part of the videos from Calling Bull on Causality.

• Robert Matthews (2000) Storks deliver babies (p=0.008). Teaching Statistics 22:36-38
• Calling Bull video on causality

I run this as a in-class lab day. Typically students have already been exposed to the case study, read the project description before class, and can finish within a 80 minute class period (though I also do other intro stuff, so I think you could do this in an hour class). It is constructed so that I or a TA check off people in class, typically seeing the original code run, ask about an alternative explanation, and then seeing that code implemented as part of the "modify" activity.

• Correlation.docx(DOCX | 1 MB)
• License terms

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Diaz Eaton, C. D. (2020). Case Study - Storks vs Babies. Calling Bull - a resource sharing and teaching community, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/MS64-ZB24

  BibTex | EndNote

1. 1 Hour
2. Accessibility
3. Activity Length
4. Advanced
5. alternative explanation
6. Assistive Technology Compatible
7. Audience Level
8. biostats
9. birds
10. calling bull
11. case study
12. causation
13. confounding variables
14. correlation
15. ecology
16. funny
17. Graduate
18. High School
19. Instructional Setting
20. introductory
21. Lab
22. Majors
23. Non-majors
24. Online course
25. population ecology
26. Promoting Engagement and Self-Efficacy
27. pvalue
28. R
29. replication
30. RStudio
31. Teaching material
32. Undergraduate
33. Universal Design
34. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
35. Usability

This could easily be adapted for Google Spreadsheets/Excel.