Statistics with Common Sense

by David Kault

Overview

Applying statistical results to real life situations can be difficult or futile if you can't be certain what the results actually mean. This reference guide provides readers with the frequently elusive link between statistical results and practical applications. Students will learn the basic concepts and principles of statistics and probability, without getting bogged down in complicated theories and abstractions.

Many statistics texts rely too heavily on mathematical formulas. Kault restores the emphasis to understanding statistical results and using common sense in decision making. Everyday examples bring the concepts to life. In the entry on hypothesis testing, Kault examines how a statistical result incorrectly overruled the common sense of many doctors. A chapter on random variables shows the chance that students will carry cell phones, and a chapter on categorical measurements uses statistics to determine the efficiency of a new treatment for a serious disease. Each chapter ends with questions that will help students further understand important concepts. Useful on its own and perfect as a means of expanding classroom discussions, this book is ideal for high school students or anyone needing to review the basics of statistics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313361319
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/30/2003
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.57(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

DAVID KAULT is a medical practitioner and Adjunct Lecturer in Mathematics at James Cook University, Queensland, Australia. He has taught a number of introductory statistics courses, both general and applied to such areas as environmental science and medicine.

Table of Contents

Statistics—The Science of Dealing with Variability and Uncertainty
Descriptive Statistics
Basic Probability and Fisher's Exact Test
Discrete Random Variables and Some Statistical Tests Based on Them
Continuous Random Variables and Some Statistical Tests Based on Them
General Issues in Hypothesis Testing
Causality—Interventions and Observational Studies
Categorical Measurements on Two or More Groups
Statistics on More than Two Groups
Miscellaneous Topics

Editorial Reviews

This is a book which would be a valuable addition to all public libraries as a resource for self-learners and those who wish to review their previous formal knowledge of statistics and consolidate it into real understanding. It also deserves serious consideration as a possible resource for undergraduate and high school courses in statistics. Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates; faculty; professionals; two-year technical program students.” —Choice

“This book is a concise review of the basic concepts of statistics….[I] recommend this book for high school or college statistics instructors.” —Mathematics Teacher

“This text for students in high school and up provides readers with a link between statistical results and practical applications, covering basic concepts and principals of statistics and probability without getting bogged down in complicated theories and abstraction.” —SciTech Book News

From the Publisher