Mathematics & Statistics
Probability, statistics, numerical methods, and the computational tools that turn quantitative ideas into work.
A Few Places to Begin
Representative entry points from across the site.
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Computational Methods for Numerical Analysis with R
A numerical-analysis text written around R as the working environment. It follows the standard sequence—error, linear algebra, interpolation, integration, optimization, and differential equations—while keeping the algorithms close enough to run, inspect, and alter. The companion
cmnapackage carries the examples beyond the printed page. -
Phonetic Spelling Algorithm Implementations for R
A scholarly software paper on the phonics R package, which implements phonetic algorithms for record linkage and related work. It is a good example of software treated as a method that should be inspectable, reusable, and citable.
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STAT 200 — Introduction to Statistics
This is an introduction to applied statistics. Probability, t-tests, and [latex]\chi^2[/latex]-tests are introduced. Application areas are broadly selected from across many different fields.
Scholarship
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Phonetic Spelling Algorithm Implementations for R
A scholarly software paper on the phonics R package, which implements phonetic algorithms for record linkage and related work. It is a good example of software treated as a method that should be inspectable, reusable, and citable.
Books
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Computational Methods for Numerical Analysis with R
A numerical-analysis text written around R as the working environment. It follows the standard sequence—error, linear algebra, interpolation, integration, optimization, and differential equations—while keeping the algorithms close enough to run, inspect, and alter. The companion
cmnapackage carries the examples beyond the printed page. -
Teaching and Learning Mathematics Online
This collection is for people teaching mathematics and statistics in online settings: not a manifesto for technology, but a practical account of the choices that make courses work. John Beyers and I brought together instructors and researchers writing about assessment, engagement, access, and the ordinary difficulty of helping people learn abstract material at a distance.
Software
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cmna
The companion package to Computational Methods for Numerical Analysis with R. It puts the algorithms from the book in runnable, inspectable form so that approximation, error, and numerical choices can be seen rather than merely asserted.
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phonics
Phonetic encoders for English, German, and French names, plus comparison methods used in record linkage. It began with a county-data merge that needed more than wishful spelling normalization and became published, citable research software.
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waterfall
A compact R package for waterfall charts in base and lattice graphics, built to make the strange accounting of public organizations easier to reason about. The work is complete rather than actively expanding.
Teaching
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STAT 200 — Introduction to Statistics
This is an introduction to applied statistics. Probability, t-tests, and [latex]\chi^2[/latex]-tests are introduced. Application areas are broadly selected from across many different fields.
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PADM 596 — Research Methods II: Data Analysis
This course covers advanced statistics with a specific application to public management. One interesting feature of this course is an explicit Stata knowledge requirement.
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PAF 503 — Research and Analysis II
This course brings forth more advanced research methods with focus on both national and international applications. We will be using Stata as the core statistical language in this course.