Beginning Statistics
An Introduction for Social Scientists
- Liam Foster - Sheffield University, UK
- Ian Diamond - UK National Statistician
- Julie Banton - Freelance Academic
Chapters address the following questions:
- Why bother learning statistics in the first place and are they relevant to real life?
- How do I make sensible tables and informative graphs?
- What are descriptive and inferential statistics and how are they used?
- What are regression and correlation anyway?
The authors of Beginning Statistics have written an ideal text for those students who are unfamiliar with and often petrified about statistical analysis. They have written a book that is comprehensive and which is made accessible by a writing style that eases the reader through explanations of complex ideas and uses lots of examples and exercises to facilitate understanding. They should be congratulated for writing such a clear but rigorous book.
This book very neatly steps from definition to worked example and interpretation with the writing lively and clear. The first edition has been my ‘go to’ jargon buster textbook whenever I or a student need statistical language or calculations explaining transparently and I welcome the second edition with its updated examples.
Simple, brilliant, thoroughly entertaining – a logical and succinct introduction to essential social statistics pitched at the right level for beginners. The latest edition has several extended spotlights including a comprehensive annotation of statistics and its application in the real ‘big data’ world, illustrative examples based on recent data, and most of all reflective learning outcomes for each chapter. I am convinced that this book is an indispensable resource for all under- and post-graduate students and social science researchers, highly recommended!
This is an excellent book, covering the basics of statistics in an interesting and easy to understand way. Great for a (gentle) first course in statistics for social scientists.
A very nicely structured and accessible introduction that can serve as an excellent resource for teaching research methods at Undergraduate level and beyond.
This is a useful book but presents the statistics in a rather traditional way for the largely non-mathematical (or phobic) social science students I teach. The section on non-parametric tests is disappointingly small, given the frequency with which non-parametric data occurs in social science projects. It is useful as supplementary reading and I will include it on the reading list.
This is an excellent book for undergraduate and postgraduate students who are learning to use SPSS. The examples are simple and easy to follow. Will definitely recommend all my students to use this book
This book is intended for those MA Education students who are embarking on statistical analysis for the first time and i believe it will become their 'bible'. It seems to be accessible and cover all that will be required.
This book contains all the essential information that is needed to understand this course. Furthermore, the lectures will be linked to this book. In addition, much of the information will be linked to the final exam.
Clear and at the right level
Sage College Publishing
