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From: lat@stcvax.UUCP (Larry Tepper)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: SAT scores affected by number of siblings
Message-ID: <346@stcvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-Jan-85 13:55:06 EST
Article-I.D.: stcvax.346
Posted: Fri Jan  4 13:55:06 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 7-Jan-85 02:38:08 EST
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Organization: Storage Technology Corp.  Louisville, CO
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> Since I'm not a Sociologist, I'm satisfied with such reasoning.  Since I
> believe in the scientific method, I think such correlations are capable
> of being checked...
> 
> 			Allen Matsumoto
> 			(decvax!ittvax!allenm)

Allen was responding to another article discussing the CAUSES of
low SAT scores.  The thing to remember about correlations in
general is that there is no implication of cause involved.

The classical example, as I have heard it, goes something like
"There is a strong correlation between sun spots and droughts.
Now, do sun spots cause droughts, or do droughts cause sun spots?"
The point is, all that one can say is "a correlation exists".  The
cause, however intuitively obvious, could well be something else.
-- 
One of the survivors...
{ihnp4 hao ucbvax!nbires}!stcvax!lat			Larry Tepper
Storage Technology, MD-3T, Louisville, CO 80028		303-673-5435