Starting Statistics
A Short, Clear Guide
- Neil Burdess - Deakin University, Australia
Statistics: A Simple Guide for Students is an accessible, humorous and easy introduction to statistics for social science students.
In this refreshing book, experienced author and academic Neil Burdess shows that statistics is not the result of some mysterious "black magic", but rather the result of some very basic arithmetic. Getting rid of confusing x's and y's, he shows that it's the intellectual questions that come before and after the calculations that are important: (i) What are the best statistics to use with your data? and (ii) What do the calculated statistics tell you?
Statistics: A Simple Guide for Students aims to help students make sense of the logic of statistics and to decide how best to use statistics to analyze their own data. What's more, it is not reliant on students having access to any particular kind of statistical software package.
This is a very useful book for any student in the social sciences doing a statistics course or needing to do statistics for themselves for the first time.
An excellent and accessible introduction for students engaging with statistics for the first time. The clear and cohesive structure of the book and the engaging way in which it is written makes it a must for those students who view statistical analysis as an insurmountable barrier to progress.
Starting Statistics is a clear, concise, and frequently funny introduction to statistics. Short, easily digestible chapters are particularly welcome. I have often found that one of the biggest barriers to students’ understanding of statistics is language. Burdess is to be praised for the way he cleverly bridges the gap between everyday language and the statistical lexicon through the use of real-world examples which he returns to time and again, adding complexity each time. This is an accessible book that I would recommend as an introductory text for undergraduates or a helpful refresher for postgraduate students. If truth be told, it is the textbook that I wish was available to me when I was starting statistics several years ago.
A clear and concise introduction to statistics - if you're starting statistics, start here.
Too low level for people interested in statistics.
good helpful overview text without being too technical
I am going to adopt this book as essential reading in a new masters programme in Psychology for Educational Professionals.
Very useful, user friendly introduction
Excellent introductory text - paticularly enjoyed the introduction
A good, clear simple book for students who are new, or who are very worreid about the research process and statistics
The book is organized in a manner that may confuse undergraduate students. For this level of courses, I prefer books which are organized according to the common research stages.
