Statistical thinking

Abstract

The past 25 years have seen many advances in the field of statistics. Some of the better known relate to the advances in computing - better and faster software, for example. Computationally intensive methods have become possible, including bootstrapping, resampling, and permutation test. Meta-Analysis also is a recent addition to the set of statistical tools. A less well-known advance that promises to play a large role in the future is the formation of a set of principles referred to as statistical thinking. Although not an advance in statistical theory, it is nonetheless a substantial advance in the application of statistics in industry. Of the changes in the field of statistic in the past 25 years, statistical thinking has the potential to be the most useful and beneficial. Perhaps more important, it seems to be on a solid foundation and not just another flavor-of-the-month fad.