| − | '''Correlation''' describes the relationship of two factors to one another (see [[cause and effect]]). When two factors are found to go together, there are only three explanations. First, the two things may be entirely unrelated. Second, they may both be caused by a another factor. Third, one of the factors might be causing the other. It is the task of [[statistics]] to point out the existence of a correlation, but it is the task of science to discover what relationship, if any, exists. | + | '''Correlation''' describes the relationship of two factors to one another (see [[cause and effect]]). When two factors are found to go together, there are only three explanations. First, the two things may be entirely unrelated. Second, they may both be caused by another factor. Third, one of the factors might be causing the other. It is the task of [[statistics]] to point out the existence of a correlation, but it is the task of science to discover what relationship, if any, exists. |
| | * correlation '''does not imply causation'''. This is the most frequent mistake made by people. There are set of principles of [[causal inference]] that need to be satisfied in order to imply cause and effect. [http://www.math.sfu.ca/~cschwarz/Stat-301/Handouts/node46.html] | | * correlation '''does not imply causation'''. This is the most frequent mistake made by people. There are set of principles of [[causal inference]] that need to be satisfied in order to imply cause and effect. [http://www.math.sfu.ca/~cschwarz/Stat-301/Handouts/node46.html] |