This Second Edition of Dana K. Keller’s The Tao of Statistics: A Path to Understanding (With No Math) provides a reader-friendly approach to statistics in plain English. Unlike other statistics books, this text explains what statistics mean and how they are used, rather than how to calculate them. The book walks readers through basic concepts as well as some of the most complex statistical models in use. The Second Edition adds coverage of big data to better address its impact on p-values and other key concepts; material on small data to show readers how to handle data with fewer data points than optimal; and other new topics like missing data and effect sizes. The book’s two characters (a high school principal and a director of public health) return in the revised edition, with their examples expanded and updated with reference to contemporary concerns in the fields of education and health.
Dana K. Keller, Ph D, has explored Eastern philosophies for almost five decades, including a journey to China and Tibet. He embraces two very different worlds: the West’s scientific approach to knowledge and the East’s more intuitive and experiential approach. In The Tao of Statistics, he presents a way that the two worlds can mutually benefit. After supervising the research for over 100 doctoral dissertations, he joined the Delmarva Foundation as its chief statistician. During his seven years there, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services named him as a national resource for the nation’s managed care organizations for sampling and research methodology. His almost unique ability to explain statistical and methodological constructs in everyday language has resulted in his being frequently requested as a presenter and technical expert panel member. As president of Halcyon Research, Inc., he continues to bring his ability to explain statistical concepts simply to an ever-widening audience.
