Quantitude

In Part 1 of a two-part series, Patrick and Greg draw on their experiences with the National Institutes of Health and the Institute of Education Sciences (as grant PI/co-PI, reviewer, panelist, and panel chair) to discuss aspects of the grant review process, including the scoring criteria, conflicts of interest, what it's like "in the room," and what happens after grants are reviewed. They also talk about turkey legs, sausage making, acronym-based drinking games, hairy eyeballs, roller coasters, and Pink Floyd: The Wall.Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @quantitudepod YouTube: @quantitudepod Merch: redbubble.com

In this first episode of 2020, Greg and Patrick welcome the new year by offering what listeners have come to expect: no apparent plan for the episode, followed by rambling, circular, and barely internally-consistent discussion. At least they are, well, reliable. In fact, their meanderings lead them to a discussion of just that topic -- reliability. In an impromptu segment they call "Grumpy Old Man & Village Idiot" the Quanti-dudes talk about the often-forgotten but absolutely critical importance of securing high quality measures when addressing substantive research questions, and the severe consequences of failing to do so. In addition to grousing about reliability, they also discuss: questions you can ask in a dissertation defense when you have no idea what is actually going on, Walmart bathroom scales, frisbees on the lawn, toxic masculinity, carnival barkers, sunscreen, Clint Eastwood, and sibling IQ tests. Easter egg alert: listen for a hidden bark from Greg's dog Gus who wants to be let outside!Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @quantitudepod YouTube: @quantitudepod Merch: redbubble.com

The podcast features a special holiday production of 'Twice the Night Before Christmas' with a guest reader, humorous commentary, and daily holiday preparations. The roommates encounter a peculiar sight in the parking lot: a mini sleigh with lemurs replacing reindeer and talk about maximum likelihood. They discuss a holiday poem, make funny modifications, talk about lemurs, outfits, and revisions. Two individuals record an unapproved solo episode, resulting in disappointment from the hosts. The hosts have a playful and humorous conversation about holiday singing and mention Sir Francis Galton, eggnog, and someone looking for smokes.

In this episode, Patrick and Greg respond to a call-in question from Alexis, asking about how one describes to another human being what a quantitative methodologist actually is, leading to a broader discussion about how one makes unique contributions to the sciences from a methodological framework. In addition to talking about quantitative methodology as a way of knowing, they also mention: portmanteaus, social skills, druncles, Zantac, half-Transylvanians, NASCAR pit crews, carving a turkey, ice cream sandwiches, and trailing vortices. And even after a full hour, it is not clear to anyone that they actually answered Alexis's question.Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @quantitudepod YouTube: @quantitudepod Merch: redbubble.com

In Episode 6 of Quantitude Greg and Patrick take their very first phone-in question, which seems to confuse both of them as they are on the computer and not the phone. Regardless, they talk with Tessa from the University of Maryland about her question of how to best use modification indices when fitting confirmatory factor models out in the real world. In addition to completely ripping off the Car Talk Guys from NPR, they address The Pod, rusty knives, Applebees, Patrick's favorite game at the North Carolina State Fair, poking sticks, and 88-year old Irish Pirates. This may or may not be their final show depending upon how litigious the Car Talk Guy lawyers actually are. Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @quantitudepod YouTube: @quantitudepod Merch: redbubble.com

University of Chicago Professor of Biostatistics, Don Hedeker, talks about nonlinear mixed effects models, variance as an outcome, and ecological momentary assessment. The podcast also covers advice for grad students, getting scooped, midlife crises, The Ramones, and sneaking into hotel rooms.

Discover the comical side of graduate school as two seasoned academics share their questionable yet entertaining advice. They rank the best and worst jobs, warning against becoming a taxi-driving logger. Personal stories reveal the balance between academic pressure and real-world experience, stressing the importance of mentorship, communication, and self-care. Plus, enjoy humorous reflections on job hunting and the significance of quality thinking time. It's a blend of wisdom and wit perfect for anyone navigating the grad school journey!

Greg and Patrick plan the episode around one topic, but things take an unexpected turn as the episode rapidly devolves into a series of pop quiz questions thrown from Patrick at Greg and back again. Rules of engagement are negotiated on the spot: without preparation, each person has 90 seconds to respond to a question of the other's choosing, which is in turn graded and argued over. Pop Quiz questions wind up addressing a range of topics that are core to understanding the thoughtful application of statistics within any research application. Bruised but not broken, Greg and Patrick agree that they will meet again in the academic octagon, bringing Pop Quiz back to QPod ... when you least expect it. Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @quantitudepod YouTube: @quantitudepod Merch: redbubble.com

In the second episode of Quantitude, Patrick and Greg channel the spirits of the two old men from the Muppet show (Waldorf and Statler, in case you're curious) and argue about the relative risks and benefits of statistical power analysis. They also discuss Patrick's mother, leaf blowing, 11 year-old saxophone players, the fortuitous ambiguity of child labor laws, vision in pigs, the poop emoji, and they properly use the word 'persnickety.' Enjoy! Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @quantitudepod YouTube: @quantitudepod Merch: redbubble.com

Patrick and Greg offer a brief non-Hollywood quality trailer that gives an initial sense of what is in store for future listeners of Quantitude. Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @quantitudepod YouTube: @quantitudepod Merch: redbubble.com