1. Who can use lab services?

2. Who are the consultant?

3. At what stage of research is it best to seek statistical advice?

4. What we could help your proposal preparation?

5. How do I set up an appointment?

6. What if my questions can't be answered in one session?

7. What should I bring to the initial meeting?

8. What's the cost of services?

9. Does SCL provide computer assistance?

The services of the lab are available to all faculty and graduate students of the University of Cincinnati. Investigators from outside the university are also encouraged to apply. See Policy in the selection menu for more details.

The consultants of the Statistical Consulting Lab are the faculty and advanced graduate students of Statistics. The faculty and their credentials are listed on the People Page.

The earlier the better. Nothing is more frustrating than learning after the fact that your data are inadequate for valid statistical inference, or — the other extreme — that your time and resources were wasted by gathering more data than necessary. We recommend that you see us during the pre-proposal phase of your research.

Statistical thinking can contribute greatly to the success of research proposals in most areas. At many granting agencies, the quality of statistical planning can tip the balance in favor of funding. We can help you with proposal preparation by advising you on the statistical aspects of your proposed research. This includes experimental design, sample-survey planning, and subsequent analyses. If a substantial role for statistics is proposed, we will gladly join in your proposal to the extent that our resources permit.

• Phone the lab for help at 513-556-4594.

• Use our On-line Request Form.

Multiple sessions are quite common. Repeat sessions may continue over weeks, months, or even years. If the assigned team cannot answer all of your questions, they will (a) tell you so, (b) schedule a follow-up appointment, and (c) find the information you need, either by delving into the relevant statistical literature, or by consulting with a colleague who has the expertise required.

If you seek our advice on experimental design or planning a survey before gathering your data —and we recommend that you do —bring a clear idea of the purpose of your research: the hypotheses you'd like to test and the research questions you'd like to answer. Copies of articles or earlier work on similar topics in your discipline would also be helpful. If you are seeking our advice on data analysis or report writing after the fact, then also bring a copy of the data gathering protocol, a printout of the data itself, and the results of any analyses already performed.

We expect to provide services to most or all clients who seek help, although it may depend on the availability of faculty members and graduate students consultants. In general, we expect to provide fee-free consulting to UC based researchers for five hours (excluding the initial meeting). Further consultation will be charged at the prevailing rates for graduate students and faculty. Clients who work on sponsored projects would generally be expected to pay for the consulting services. See Policy in the selection menu for details or contact us.

9. Does SCL provide computer assistance?

The general answer is yes, but there are qualifications. The significant word here is "statistical". SCL will provide assistance with the use of statistical computer software, such as SAS, SPSS and S-PLUS, 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 the Department of ECECS.