Discussion of a method of classification which attempts to use the particular set of indices of association which produce the most reliable and valid solution. (PR)

A relatively reliable and valid hierarchy of clusters of objects is plotted from the highest column entries, exclusively, of a matrix of interassociations between the objects. Having developed out of a loose definition of types, the method isolates both loose and highly definitive types, and all those in between. (Author/RC)

Clustering techniques seek to group together objects or variables that share some observed qualities or, alternatively, to partition a set of objects or variables into mutually exclusive classes whose boundaries reflect differences in the observed qualities of their members. This paper reviews the general principles underlying clustering…

A Monte Carlo study evaluated the effectiveness of three rules of classifying objects into clusters: nearest neighbor classification; nearest centroid assignment; and quadratic discriminant analysis. Results suggest that the nearest neighbor rule is a useful tool for assessing the validity of the clustering procedure of J. H. Ward (1963). (SLD)

Three approaches to the graphic representation of similarity and dissimilarity matrices are compared and contrasted. Specifically, Kruskal's multidimensional scaling, Johnson's hierarchical clustering, and Waern's graphing techniques are employed to depict, in two dimensions, data representing the structure of a set of botanical concepts. Each of…