Mind the gap: Assessing current pedagogical approaches to teaching effect size estimation and interpretation in university level psychology statistics classrooms

Abstract

The new statistics (Cumming, 2007) are simply not that new anymore. Effect sizes have been around since the 1940-1950s (Huberty, 2002), yet despite their popularity in recent decades (speculatively in reaction to known flaws in NHST) there are still problems surrounding reporting practices, misconceptions about effect sizes, and potential gaps in our pedagogical approaches to teaching about effect sizes. Within biomedical and psychological research, there are numerous effect sizes measures which have can be categorized into 8 techniques for estimating and interpreting effect sizes (Cook et al., 2014; Lakens & Caldwell, 2019). This project focuses on first assessing the prevalence of these 8 techniques and then on identifying technique and/or instructor related barriers which hinder the use of these techniques within classrooms. Hopefully, steps towards mitigating those barriers and closing the educational gap for students as they transition to becoming researchers and consumers of information can be found and implemented.

Mark Christopher Adkins

PhD Candidate

My research interests include Monte Carlo Simulations, statistical consulting, and statistical pedagogy.