http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/01/24/the-law-of-small-numbers/ The blog of John D. Cook Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:10:06 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/01/24/the-law-of-small-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-33685 Frank Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:47:19 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/01/24/the-law-of-small-numbers/#comment-33685 Hi, don't want to appear like a spelling nazi, but I always wonder why so many people misspell the word "phenomenon" as "phenomena". I have even seen this error in scientific papers and theses, so it is widespread even in educated circles. Also, it is obviously not just a typo, but genuinely believed to be correct by the "offenders". Alas, while "phenomena" is the correct plural form, the singular form is "phenomenon", and "phenomenon" only! Peace, Frank Hi, don’t want to appear like a spelling nazi, but I always wonder why so many people misspell the word “phenomenon” as “phenomena”. I have even seen this error in scientific papers and theses, so it is widespread even in educated circles. Also, it is obviously not just a typo, but genuinely believed to be correct by the “offenders”. Alas, while “phenomena” is the correct plural form, the singular form is “phenomenon”, and “phenomenon” only!
Peace, Frank

]]> http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/01/24/the-law-of-small-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-31884 Dan M Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:19:26 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/01/24/the-law-of-small-numbers/#comment-31884 Not to be confused with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_Law_of_Small_Numbers" rel="nofollow">Strong Law of Small Numbers</a>. :) The SLSN provides an explanation for some of those striking coincidences that make mathematics seem so mystical to some. Not to be confused with the Strong Law of Small Numbers. The SLSN provides an explanation for some of those striking coincidences that make mathematics seem so mystical to some.

]]> http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/01/24/the-law-of-small-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-31826 John Myles White Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:00:31 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/01/24/the-law-of-small-numbers/#comment-31826 I think The Law of Small Numbers is even stronger than underestimating the variability of small samples: they actually remove whole sections of the outcome space from their visions of distributions. Or, to put it another, people seem to refuse to believe that a random process can produce things that look structured with any probability other than 0. I think The Law of Small Numbers is even stronger than underestimating the variability of small samples: they actually remove whole sections of the outcome space from their visions of distributions. Or, to put it another, people seem to refuse to believe that a random process can produce things that look structured with any probability other than 0.

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