In the Second Edition of this bestselling textbook, the authors use real-world examples to introduce basic principles in statistics with no prior knowledge or experience assumed. With an emphasis on describing concepts, showing through example and illustrating points with graphs and displays, this book will provide readers with a step-by-step introduction to using statistics.Chapters address the following questions:Why bother learning statistics in th...

This is a book about the ideas that drive statistics. It is an ideal primer for students who need an introduction to the concepts of statistics without the added confusion of technical jargon and mathematical language.It introduces the intuitive thinking behind standard procedures, explores the process of informal reasoning, and uses conceptual frameworks to provide a foundation for students new to statistics. It showcases the expertise we have all developed from living in a data s...

Requiring no prior knowledge of correspondence analysis, this text provides a nontechnical introduction to Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) as a method in its own right. The authors, Brigitte LeRoux and Henry Rouanet, present thematerial in a practical manner, keeping the needs of researchers foremost in mind.Key FeaturesReaders learn how to construct geometric spaces from relevant data, formulate questions of interest, and link statistical inte...

This volume introduces the basic concepts of Exponential Random Graph Modeling (ERGM), gives examples of why it is used, and shows the reader how to conduct basic ERGM analyses in their own research. ERGM is a statistical approach to modeling social network structure that goes beyond the descriptive methods conventionally used in social network analysis. Although it was developed to handle the inherent non-independence of network data, the results of ERGM are interpreted in similar ways to...

Jason W. Osborne’s Best Practices in Logistic Regression provides students with an accessible, applied approach that communicates logistic regression in clear and concise terms. The book effectively leverages readers’ basic intuitive understanding of simple and multiple regression to guide them into a sophisticated mastery of logistic regression. Osborne’s applied approach offers students and instructors a clear perspective, elucidated through practical and engaging tools ...

Statistics: A Short, Clear Guide 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 are 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:...

Designing and Doing Survey Research is an introduction to the processes and methods of planning and conducting survey research in the real world.Taking a mixed method approach throughout, the book provides step-by-step guidance on:• Designing your research• Ethical issues• Developing your survey questions• Sampling• Budgeting, scheduling and managing your time• Administering your survey• Preparing for data ana...

Offering a detailed introduction to the practice of data analysis, this book is both user-friendly and theoretically grounded. Drawing on his extensive experience of qualitative research, Douglas Ezzy reviews approaches to data analysis in established research traditions including ethnography, phenomenology and symbolic interactionism, alongside the newer approaches informed by cultural studies and feminism. He explains the difference between inductive, deductive and abductive theory build...

How do pyramid scams work? Are reality television shows fair? Why are sports so uncompetitive? Who really broke the bank in 2009?Our world has become more complicated, and the notion of growth at any cost has led to constant economic uncertainty, a permanently stressed-out workforce, and everyday stories of government and corporate abuse. Author John K. White argues that a better knowledge of basic systems is needed to understand the world we live in, from pyramid scams to...

Focusing on developing practical R skills rather than teaching pure statistics,Dr. Kurt Taylor Gaubatz’s A Survivor’s Guide to R provides a gentle yet thorough introduction to R. The book is structured around critical R tasks, and focuses on applied knowledge, rather than abstract concepts. Gaubatz’s easy-to-read approach helps students with little or no background in statistics or programming to develop real-world R skills through straightforward coverage of R objects and...

Using a truly accessible and reader-friendly approach, this comprehensive introduction to statistics redefines the way statistics can be taught and learned. Unlike other books that merely focus on procedures, Reid’s approach balances development of critical thinking skills with application of those skills to contemporary statistical analysis. He goes beyond simply presenting techniques by focusing on the key concepts readers need to master in order to ensure their long-term success. Indeed...