ASTM Committee developing proposed non-parametric standard.

Press Release Summary:



Interested parties are invited to join in development of proposed standard ASTM WK32565, Guide for the Use of Non-Parametric Statistical Methods. Non-parametric methods are useful to anyone using data analysis tools when nature of underlying distribution is not known, when attribute type data exists, and when just a small sample is available to compare 2 or more groups and show significance when sizeable difference can be expected.



Original Press Release:



ASTM Quality and Statistics Committee Developing Proposed Non-Parametric Standard



W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., -Interested parties are invited to join in the development of a new proposed standard being developed by ASTM International Committee E11 on Quality and Statistics. ASTM WK32565, Guide for the Use of Non-Parametric Statistical Methods, is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee E11.10 on Sampling/Statistics.

According to Stephen Luko, statistician, Hamilton Sundstrand, Shared Engineering Services, and an E11 member, non-parametric techniques are used by statisticians in many situations, particularly where the nature of the distribution from which the sample arose is uncertain.

"The methods described in the proposed standard do not depend on underlying distribution and are therefore attractive alternatives to the usually normal distribution based methods," says Luko. "Other situations occur in which one needs to forecast or predict where the next observation will fall, using a small sample that may also be covered by non parametric techniques. These techniques provide yet another set of tools for special situations that may arise in the broader community of users of ASTM standards."

Luko says non-parametric methods are useful to anyone using data analysis tools, particularly in the following common situations:

o When the nature of the underlying distribution is not known;

o When attribute type data exists;

o When just a small sample is available, to compare two or more groups and show significance when a sizeable difference can be expected;

o To predict where the next several observations will fall with respect to a present sample; and

o To estimate some proportion of a population process output based on the sample values from a current sample.

Luko says the task group developing ASTM WK32565 is interested in user applications involving smaller sample sizes and how this situation is currently handled.

To purchase ASTM standards, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation number, or contact ASTM Customer Relations (phone: 610-832-9585; service@astm.org). ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.

ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.

View this release on the ASTM Web site at www.astmnewsroom.org.

ASTM Committee E11 Next Meeting: Oct. 26-28, 2011, ASTM International Headquarters, West Conshohocken, Pa.

Technical Contact: Stephen N. Luko, Hamilton Sunstrand, Shared Engineering Services, Windsor Locks, Conn., Phone: 860-654-3447; stephen.luko@hs.utc.com

ASTM Staff Contact: Christine Sierk, Phone: 610-832-9728; csierk@astm.org

ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

All Topics