Ceramic investigation: how to perform statistical analyses

The aim of this article is to summarize and organize the methodologies used for the statistical analysis in the field of ceramic investigation and, more specifically, the study of ceramic provenance. An update and review of all related methodologies is provided during the presentation of a typical statistical analysis. The presentation is given in a step-by-step process and emphasis is on interpretation of the intermediate and final results. The analysis attempts to cover the following: What issues to examine in a preliminary analysis Data transformation Cluster analysis Clustering assessment Data dimension reduction methods as part of a clustering visualization and assessment Outliers and small groups Mixed-mode analysis Cluster characterization and discriminating factors Classification