Quantitative Methods for the Palaeobiologist
This section is meant to provide links to free programmes, which I use (and recommend) for the study of variation, phylogenetics, and macroevolution.
I admit that this section is a bit scattered, but such is the nature of quantitative research...like a scatterplot.
Statistical Programmes
R - The R-Project started in the early 90s and has quickly become one of the most useful and powerful programmes for statistics and graphics generation. It has a steep learning curve, but I would highly recommend any student of palaeobiology (and biology in general) to become familiar with its basic workings. Also, its free!
NB. If you decide to use R, and particularly if you are using it through a Windows-based platform, I recommend using it through RStudio. Better user interface...in my opinion.
For links associated with the basic R workshop I ran at Uppsala University, click here
Personal R Packages*
MASSTIMATE (current vers. 2.0) - Body Mass Estimation Equations for Vertebrates. This package was developed to easily estimate body masses of vertebrates based on skeletal measurements. Various equations are presented, including those of Campione & Evans (2012, BMC Biology) for quadrupeds, Campione et al. (2014), for bipeds, Campione (2017, Paleobiology), and Campione & Evans (2020). Version 2.0 is available through CRAN, however, continual bug fixes will be release on github, currently version 2.0-2.
Personal R Scripts*
These can also be accessed through the package paleotools, available on github
(right-click to download, open script file in order to see argument details)
Linear Statistics/Plot for Multiple Groups
Intercept Comparisons @ x≠0 Using a t-test
Confidence & Prediction Intervals
Minimum Convex Hulls
Standard Error of the Estimate
Standard Parametric Tests for Multivariate Statistics
*please contact me if you find any errors or inconsistencies.
NB. If you decide to use R, and particularly if you are using it through a Windows-based platform, I recommend using it through RStudio. Better user interface...in my opinion.
For links associated with the basic R workshop I ran at Uppsala University, click here
Personal R Packages*
MASSTIMATE (current vers. 2.0) - Body Mass Estimation Equations for Vertebrates. This package was developed to easily estimate body masses of vertebrates based on skeletal measurements. Various equations are presented, including those of Campione & Evans (2012, BMC Biology) for quadrupeds, Campione et al. (2014), for bipeds, Campione (2017, Paleobiology), and Campione & Evans (2020). Version 2.0 is available through CRAN, however, continual bug fixes will be release on github, currently version 2.0-2.
Personal R Scripts*
These can also be accessed through the package paleotools, available on github
(right-click to download, open script file in order to see argument details)
Linear Statistics/Plot for Multiple Groups
Intercept Comparisons @ x≠0 Using a t-test
Confidence & Prediction Intervals
Minimum Convex Hulls
Standard Error of the Estimate
Standard Parametric Tests for Multivariate Statistics
*please contact me if you find any errors or inconsistencies.