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- Title
Graphical Inference in Geographical Research.
- Authors
Widen, Holly M.; Elsner, James B.; Pau, Stephanie; Uejio, Christopher K.
- Abstract
Graphical inference, a process refined by Buja et al., can be a useful tool for geographers as it provides a visual and spatial method to test null hypotheses. The core idea is to generate sample datasets from a null hypothesis to visually compare with the actual dataset. The comparison is performed from a line-up of graphs where a single graph of the actual data is hidden among multiple graphs of sample data. If the real data is discernible, the null hypothesis can be rejected. Here, we illustrate the utility of graphical inference using examples from climatology, biogeography, and health geography. The examples include inferences about location of the mean, change across space and time, and clustering. We show that graphical inference is a useful technique to answer a broad range of common questions in geographical datasets. This approach is needed to avoid the common pitfalls of 'straw man' hypotheses and 'p-hacking' as datasets become increasingly larger and more complex.
- Subjects
GEOGRAPHICAL research; BIOGEOGRAPHY; GEOGRAPHY; CLIMATE research; CLIMATOLOGY
- Publication
Geographical Analysis, 2016, Vol 48, Issue 2, p115
- ISSN
0016-7363
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/gean.12085