Statistics in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference

Sarah Boslaugh, Dr. Paul Andrew Watters

"O'Reilly Media, Inc.", Jul 25, 2008 - Mathematics - 480 pages

Need to learn statistics as part of your job, or want some help passing a statistics course? Statistics in a Nutshell is a clear and concise introduction and reference that's perfect for anyone with no previous background in the subject. This book gives you a solid understanding of statistics without being too simple, yet without the numbing complexity of most college texts.

You get a firm grasp of the fundamentals and a hands-on understanding of how to apply them before moving on to the more advanced material that follows. Each chapter presents you with easy-to-follow descriptions illustrated by graphics, formulas, and plenty of solved examples. Before you know it, you'll learn to apply statistical reasoning and statistical techniques, from basic concepts of probability and hypothesis testing to multivariate analysis.

Organized into four distinct sections, Statistics in a Nutshell offers you:

Introductory material:
• Different ways to think about statistics
• Basic concepts of measurement and probability theory
• Data management for statistical analysis
• Research design and experimental design
• How to critique statistics presented by others


Basic inferential statistics:
• Basic concepts of inferential statistics
• The concept of correlation, when it is and is not an appropriate measure of association
• Dichotomous and categorical data
• The distinction between parametric and nonparametric statistics


Advanced inferential techniques:
• The General Linear Model
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and MANOVA
• Multiple linear regression


Specialized techniques:
• Business and quality improvement statistics
• Medical and public health statistics
• Educational and psychological statistics

Unlike many introductory books on the subject, Statistics in a Nutshell doesn't omit important material in an effort to dumb it down. And this book is far more practical than most college texts, which tend to over-emphasize calculation without teaching you when and how to apply different statistical tests.

With Statistics in a Nutshell, you learn how to perform most common statistical analyses, and understand statistical techniques presented in research articles. If you need to know how to use a wide range of statistical techniques without getting in over your head, this is the book you want.

Contents

• Basic Concepts of Measurement: 1
• Probability: 21
• Data Management: 41
• Descriptive Statistics and Graphics: 54
• Research Design: 85
• Critiquing Statistics Presented by Others: 107
• Inferential Statistics: 125
• The tTest: 151
• The Correlation Coefficient: 169
• Categorical Data: 188
• Nonparametric Statistics: 207
• Introduction to the General Linear Model: 224
• Extensions of Analysis of Variance: 243
• Multiple Linear Regression: 264
• Other Types of Regression: 284
• Other Statistical Techniques: 298
• Business and Quality Improvement Statistics: 315
• Medical and Epidemiological Statistics: 339
• Educational and Psychological Statistics: 366
• Review of Basic Mathematics: 391
• Introduction to Statistical Packages: 414
• References: 431
• Index: 443

Popular passages

Page ix - Someone once said that there are three kinds of lies: "lies, damned lies, and statistics.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Statistics in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference; In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)
• Authors: Sarah Boslaugh, Dr. Paul Andrew Watters
• Publisher: "O'Reilly Media, Inc.", 2008
• ISBN: 1449397816, 9781449397814
• Length: 480 pages
• Subjects: Mathematics / Probability & Statistics / General