Sharks, Ice Cream... and Why Correlation Ain't Causation

Hey there all, and welcome back for Episode 6 on correlation! For this week and episode, we're going to cover a few initial concepts that need to be more directly discussed: variables (including independent and dependent variables) and then the levels of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio). Next, we'll get into the definition and looks of correlation (as they would appear on a scatterplot), tie back how correlation requires us to have a true variable with different values, learn about the Pearson correlation coefficient, and the ways we can measure correlation when our variables aren't numbers (ex: Phi coefficient, Rank biserial coefficient, etc.). We'll wrap up with discussion of why we shouldn't confuse causation with correlation through examination of spurious correlations. Throughout this episode, I'll be asking you to think about the ways your research project relates back to the concepts... so be prepared to think about the question you want to investigate!