What consulting services are offered? What consulting services are offered? We are prepared to render assistance at every stage of the research process, from planning a study, through collecting data and statistical analysis, to interpretation of results. Whether a particular service is appropriate depends upon the context of the consultation. Our central focus is on statistical methodology.
In addition, SCS regularly offers non-credit courses on a variety of statistical topics, including use of statistical computer software.
Based on staff availability, SCS can provide in-class instruction on the use of statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, SAS). When these courses require additional staff or T.A. costs, these costs would normally be paid by the requesting department. Please direct inquires for such courses to the Coordinator of SCS. We expect that course directors will acknowledge the contribution of SCS in their course outlines.
Do I have to pay for help? In general SCS services are provided free of charge to members of the York community, but there are several qualifications:
Does SCS provide computer assistance? The general answer is yes, but there are qualifications. The significant word here is "statistical". SCS will provide assistance with the use of statistical computer software, both on York's mainframe computers and on microcomputers, but we do not provide assistance with more general computer software, such as operating systems, word-processing programs, and spreadsheets. We refer requests for assistance with non- statistical computer problems to Computing and Network Services (CNS).
Can I get help with my course work? Whenever we assist a student with course work, we require that the instructor be aware of and approve the assistance that we provide.
Can I get help with thesis and dissertation research? Many of our clients are students undertaking thesis and dissertation research. It is appropriate for a consultant to discuss with a student alternative forms of analysis that may be suitable for his or her research; to render advice about which of several forms of analysis might be best; to help a student correct a computer-program setup; or to help a student to interpret the output from a statistical computer program.
Because coordination of advice is often important, we expect that a student's supervisory committee is aware of the help provided to the student by SCS, and it is sometimes useful for a consultant to meet jointly with a student and his or her supervisor.
What sorts of assistance are inappropriate? Although there is a large grey area demarcating activities that are clearly appropriate from those that are clearly inappropriate, it is generally not proper for a consultant to:
We realize that at times a consultant may need to examine a student's data, and that students may require relatively more assistance with forms of statistical analysis that are unusual or difficult. We have a wider latitude in assisting faculty and staff with their research. Extensive data-analysis services should, however, be contracted through ISR. Alternatively, consultants at SCS may help a research assistant to carry out statistical analyses for a faculty member. We find that it is often useful for both the faculty member and the assistant to attend the consultation.
How can I schedule an appointment? SCS consultants maintain a regular schedule of office hours
at various locations.
You may use our
Online Appointment Scheduler
via AppointmentQuest.com.
See the page on Appointments
for further information.
We expect our clients to have a working knowledge of some
basic statistical concepts and methods. What you need to know
depends partly on the nature of the research that you are
undertaking. We try to provide assistance tailored to the
level of knowledge of our clients, and our advice might
include suggestions for reading about statistical methods.
After you and the consultant introduce yourselves, the
consultant will ask for information about your research and
ask you what you would like to accomplish during your first
session. It is helpful for you to prepare a summary of your
research, and you might consider providing this information to
the consultant in written form.
We often find that it helps
to summarize the design of a study in a diagram or a table. It
is generally useful for the consultant to understand the
purpose and context of your research, rather than viewing your
work as an abstract statistical problem. An initial
consultation usually takes a half-hour to an hour.
You are welcome to return as frequently (within reason, of
course) as your research requires. Many clients have their
questions answered completely in a single consultation, but
often more contact is required. Frequently, a consultant must
do work outside of the consulting sessions to answer a
client's questions.
You may acknowledge our assistance in the usual manner if and
when your research is published. We would appreciate
receiving copies of research that has benefitted from our
assistance because documentation of the fruits of our labour
is useful to us in renewing our funding. In instances in
which a consultant's contribution has been central to a
project, you may consider offering co-authorship.
How much statistics do I need to know? What will my first session be like? What if I need more help? How should I acknowledge help received? Acknowledgment
Parts of this document were adapted from the
Guide for New Users
prepared by the
Statistical Consulting Center at Florida State University.
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