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Estimation of the Mode by the Dominant Cluster Method
Author(s) -
ELLIS P.J.,
COPELOWITZ I.,
STEELE T.W.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
geostandards newsletter
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1751-908X
pISSN - 0150-5505
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-908x.1977.tb00868.x
Subject(s) - outlier , mode (computer interface) , cluster (spacecraft) , statistics , value (mathematics) , confidence interval , simple (philosophy) , estimation , computer science , algorithm , data mining , mathematics , engineering , philosophy , systems engineering , epistemology , programming language , operating system
A method is presented fop estimation of the mode of analytical data reported by cooperating analysts in the preparation of reference materials. The method is referred to as the dominant cluster method, and the nodal value obtained is the value that shows most agreement between analysts.Several examples demonstrate that this mode (for which approximate confidence intervals have been estimated), is not inconsistent with the recommended values that have been assigned to well‐known geochemical reference samples. Features in its favour are that the calculation is simple, it is independent of the type of distribution, and outliers are automatically excluded.