Cause-Effect Relationships
摘要
Causation is one of the most critical types of relationship among experimental variables and is often the primary focus of scientific experiments. In this chapter, model fitting is introduced as a method for examining cause-effect relationships in experimental data, using techniques such as the least squares method and variance partitioning (ANOVA). The chapter provides a brief overview of statistical models and their components and presents several commonly used models in agriculture, such as simple linear regression models, one-way and two-way ANOVA models, illustrated through simple yet realistic examples. Additionally, suggestions for handling unbalanced data are provided to prevent misinterpretation in routine research in agriculture.