THE RESAMPLING METHOD OF STATISTICAL-ANALYSIS

Some non-statisticians occasionally use improper statistical methodolo gy due to a lack of appreciation for the model assumptions that underl ie a particular technique. The resampling method is a recent attempt t o solve statistical problems with a minimum of assumptions. In essence , resampling involves an intuitive approach to inferential statistics that obviates the need for the mathematically derived sampling distrib ution. The resampling approach takes advantage of readily accessible h igh-speed computers to do a computationally intensive Monte Carlo expe riment on the available data. The resampling approach liberates the us er from imposing assumptions that are sometimes dubious. It also direc ts one away from a black-box attitude toward statistical analysis and instead forces the user to consider the purpose of the inferential pro cess. A particularly user-friendly implementation of resampling method s that addresses some of the problems faced by non-statisticians is fo und in a simple, yet powerful, computer program caf fed ''Resampling S tats,'' version 3.13.