Information Technology Services and the Department of Statistics jointly support the Statistical Consulting Service at North Dakota State University. This service is available to all faculty, staff and students at North Dakota University System institutions, usually at no charge.

Support Services:

The Statistical Consulting Service currently provides assistance to clients at various stages of the research process including:

Planning Phase -- SCS Consultants will discuss:

• mechanisms for collecting, entering and handling data; e.g., which applications can be used on personal computers to enter data that need to be ported to our UNIX hosts for statistical analysis.
• your research goals and assist you in identifying aspects of your research that may benefit from the application of statistical principles.
• the design of experiments; e.g., identification of response variables, factors, and type of statistical design appropriate for your research.

Data Organization and Analysis Phase -- Consultants will:

• assist in managing and processing data.
• suggest appropriate statistical methods for data analysis.
• obtain data from client, perform appropriate statistical analyses.

Communication of Results Phase -- SCS Consultants will:

• recommend methods of data presentation, portrayal of results.
• facilitate graphical display of data by pre-processing your data and generating transportable output such as CGM or PostScript.
• generate presentation graphics for clients as needed.

Collaborative Efforts:

Members of the SCS are interested in developing longer term collaborative work with researchers in a wide variety of disciplines. Examples of such projects include but are not limited to:

• reviewing the exposition of statistical results in proposals and manuscripts.

- previously this has included reviewing papers by members of the following departments: Pharmacy, Zoology, Plant Pathology, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, Business, and Cereal Science.
• contributing to collaborative projects throughout the duration of the research process. This could include visiting the laboratory or research site to better understand the research project.
• occasional involvement in outreach projects with external organizations.

- in recent years, we have collaborated on the Explorers Survey with the regional office of the Boy Scouts of America.

Publications:

• Schnell, C.A., Louis, K.S. and C. Doetkott. 2003. The first-year seminar as a means of improving college graduation rates. Journal of the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. Vol. 15(1) 53-75.
  - Statistical methods used include logistic regression.
• Schnell, C.A. and C.D. Doetkott. 2003. First year seminars produce long-term impact. Journal of College Student Retention. Vol. 4(4) 377-391.
  - Statistical methods used include chi-squared tests.
• Jeffrey, J.S., Nolan, L.K., Tonooka, K.H., Wolfe, S., Giddings, C.W., Horne, S.M., Foley, S.L., Lynne, A.M., Ebert, J.O., Elijah, L.M., Bjorklund, G., Pfaff-McDonough, S.J., Singer, R.S., and Doetkott, C. 2002.Virulence Factors of Escherichia coli from Cellulitis or Colisepticemia Lesions in Chickens. Avian Dis. 46:48-52.
  - Statistical methods used include discrete data analysis methods such as odds ratios, chi-squared tests.
• Nolan, L.K., Giddings, C.W., Horne, S.M., Doetkott, C., Gibbs, P.S., Wooley, R.E., and Foley, S.L. 2002. Complement Resistance, as Determined by Viable Count and Flow Cytometric Methods, and its Association with the Presence of iss and the Virulence of Avian Escherichia coli. Avian Dis. 46: 1-8.
  - Statistical methods used include discrete data analysis methods such as odds ratios, chi-squared tests.
• Finck, K.M., , Doetkott, C. and D. Miller. 2001. Clinical Impact of Interlaboratory Variation in International Normalized Ratio Determinations. Am J Health-Syst Pharm 58(8).
  - Statistical methods used include correlation and regression.
• Petermann, S. R., Doetkott, C. and L. Rust. 2001. Elastase deficiency phenotype of Psuedomonas aeruginosa canine otitis externa isolates. Clin. Diag. Lab. Immun. 8(3):632-636.
  - Statistical methods used include t-tests and box plots.
• Pfaff-McDonough, S., Horne, S., Nolan, L. Giddings, C. , Doetkott, C., and M. Herbert Smith. 2000. Complement-Resistance-Related Traits among Escherichia coli Isolates from Apparently Healthy Birds and Birds with Colibacillosis. Avian Diseases 44:23-33.
  - Statistical methods used include discrete data analysis methods such as odds ratios, chi-squared tests.
• Rayas-Duarte, P., Majewska, K., and C. Doetkott. 1998. Effect of Extrusion Process Parameters on the Quality of Buckwheat Flour Mixes. Cereal Chemistry 75(3):338-345.

- Statistical methods used include response surface regression and analysis of variance.
• Debbouz, A. and C. Doetkott. 1996. Effect of Process Variables on Spaghetti Quality. Cereal Chemistry 73(6):672-676.

- Statistical methods used include response surface regression.

Personnel, Location, Office Hours:

• Curt Doetkott -- IACC 210 H, 701-231-7031
• Department of Statistics Graduate Students --- IACC 210 J, 701-231-1077

We try to have one graduate student available from 9:00 - 1:00, Monday through Friday during the regular School Year although there will be variability from semester to semester depending upon student class schedules. The same schedule is generally followed during the summer as well if personnel are available. Appointments can be scheduled at times outside of these hours by mutual agreement of the consultant and client. Drop-ins are also welcome.