Re: Terminology of simulations vs. "real experiments"

[Stephen C. Upton]

Steve,

Check out Chapter 12 of Simulation Modeling and Analysis, 3rd Edition, Averill
M. Law and W. David Kelton, and the relevant references at the end of section
12.1. Granted, we haven't been doing "experiments" with computers as long as we
have with physical phenomena, the idea does date back to at least 1970 (see the
reference to Hunter and Naylor). And as suggested, experimentation and their
associated techniques are used to understand and improve a "system", and
whether that's "real" or not, is not material (although the current research
into computer experimentation techniques tend to take advantage of the "fact"
that you have access to all of the variables and can control the "noise" -
which you obviously don't have in a "real" experiment)

HTH
steve

M Lang / S Railsback wrote:

> I just got some review comments of a type I wonder if anyone else has
> had to cope with.
>
> The reviewer (and editor) objects to the use of terminology like
> "replicate", "experiment", "manipulation", and "data set" in reference
> to our agent-based modeling work. The reviewer said these terms are
> normally associated with 'real experiments', not simulations.
>
> I am tempted to make a case that these terms are, in fact, widely used
> in modeling (not necessarily even agent-based modeling). If anyone knows
> some really prominent examples, I would appreciate them.
>
> I would concede that instead of "data set" we could talk about
> "simulation results" or "model output".
>
> Steve
>
> --
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