Materials:

• Computer lab space is needed to conduct the lab, which should be done at least partially during regularly scheduled class time if students have never used R.
• A Minitab version of this lab is available, but using R software is much easier. Minitab takes several minutes to run just one simulation, so unlike R, a true simulation study is impossible. R can be downloaded for free at www.r-project.org.

Global Warming, The Hockey stick Graph :

This lab is heavily drawn from the congressional report authored by Edward J. Wegman, George Mason University, David W. Scott, Rice University, and Yasmin H. Said, The Johns Hopkins University. This report was requested by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce along with the Subcommittee of Oversight and Investigations.

While not a popular result, this ad hoc committee found that McIntyre and McKitrick were correct in claiming that Mann et. al. used incorrect statistical techniques when creating their widely used estimates of average global surface temperatures.

This lab allows students to conduct their own simulation study to empirically determine if Mann et. al.'s techniques are correct. This lab simplifies the simulation by used on one beta and sigma in generating random data. McIntyre and McKitrick appropriately used distinct betas and sigmas for all 70 series. If students wish to create a more complete simulation study, they can use the same betas and sigmas copied from McIntyre and McKitrick's actual code retrieved on January 5th, 2007 from their site www.climateaudit.org and selecting "Steve's Public Data".