507: Experimentation

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Revision as of 16:11, 26 September 2012 by 66.110.220.126 (talk) (Explanation)
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Experimentation
I understand large sample sizes are key to a low standard error of the mean, but the entire sophomore class?
Title text: I understand large sample sizes are key to a low standard error of the mean, but the entire sophomore class?

Explanation

College (Undergraduate University, for international readers) is a time to find yourself, so the aphorism goes. This comic takes the joke a bit too far (a favorite on xkcd) with "experimenting with your sexuality". Usually, it is taken to mean the person is curious, and will have one night stands to test this, but not Megan. No, she was indeed experimenting, and experiments follow the Scientific method: hypothesize, experiment, draw conclusions, repeat. And statistically speaking, a large sample group decreases the error bounds on the results.

Transcript

[A young male and female are holding hands, and the female is pointing off to the side.]

Female: Oh, hey, it's twelve of the dudes from control group B!

I'm cool with her past lesbian experimentation, but I wish she hadn't insisted the experiments be scientifically rigorous.


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Discussion

A proper sample for Megan is at least three (or four) groups: definite lesbians; other curious girls; hetero males; possibly a randomised group (trans, bi, intersex, fetishes and kinks: depending on source) and an ordinary mixed-sex control, all of which could include the entirety of her year level. The other students might have felt uncomfortable with her empirically recording the data, though (filming and surveys). ‎123.211.217.96 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

I like the implication that perhaps years after college, her test groups still hang out together. If well chosen, the "dudes from control group B" would have nothing in common except Megan, but this has been enough of a bonding experience.141.101.98.174 08:08, 7 April 2015 (UTC)

Or the groups were large enough or the college tight-knit that 12 of the people were still likely to be friends. 108.162.241.180 04:58, 12 March 2023 (UTC)