[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 119(2) of Psychological Review (see record 2012-06153-001). In the article, incorrect versions of figures 3 and 6 were included. Also, Table 8 should have included the following information in the table footnote "P(A V) = probability of acquittal given unanimous verdict." All…

This paper is a response to Paul Meara's (2005) critique of the Lexical Frequency Profile (LFP). Using simulated data, he challenges the claim that LFP is a sensitive and reliable tool for assessing vocabulary use in L2 speakers. In my response to his paper, I discuss the nature of lexical competence, in light of which LFP results should be…

W. M. K. Trochim and others defend the record of the regression-discontinuity (RD) design and blur the statistical tests for treatment effect. Their Monte Carlo results show the problematic nature of RD and its potential bias. New testing strategies and restrictions for the application of RD are proposed. (SLD)

Discussion of the use of computer simulation in the social sciences highlights types of simulation strategies and their combinations in comprehensive simulations. The strengths and weaknesses of simulations as instructional and research tools are examined, examples are given, and design issues arising in each type are explored. (29 references)…

In this article, the author discusses the use in policy analysis of models that incorporate uncertainty. He believes that all models should consider incorporating uncertainty, but that at the same time it is important to understand that sampling variability is not usually the dominant driver of uncertainty in policy analyses. He also argues that…