The Analysis of Biological Data [Hardcover]

Michael C. Whitlock (Author), Dolph Schluter (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0981519407 | ISBN-13: 978-0981519401 | Publication Date: July 1, 2008 | Edition: 1

The Analysis of Biological Data is a new approach to teaching introductory statistics to biology students. Whitlock and Schluter use several techniques to reach this unique audience. Throughout, they teach statistics in the context of interesting biological and medical examples; they emphasize intuitive understanding rather than an over-reliance on formulas; they focus on the data rather than the mathematical foundations of statistics; and they introduce - on a conceptual level - modern topics such as likelihood, regression, randomization, meta-analysis and the bootstrap. Instructors and students consistently praise the book's clear and engaging writing, strong visualization techniques, and the wide variety of fascinating and relevant biological examples.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I found the book engaging, intuitive, and with a coverage and pace that is perfect for a first statistics course for students in biology. --Allen J. Moore, University of Exeter

An introduction to statistics that is both accessible in its content and compelling in its examples. --Patrick Phillips, University of Oregon

The authors' approach to teaching statistics truly makes the appropriate connections to the kinds of problems and data biological researchers will encounter today. --Grace Wyngaard, James Madison University

About the Author

Michael Whitlock is Professor of Biology in the Department of Zoology at the University of British Columbia. He is an expert in population genetics, especially in the evolution of spatially structured populations. Dolph Schluter is Professor and Canada Research Chair and Director of the Biodiversity Research Center at the University of British Columbia. He is known for his work in evolutionary ecology, especially speciation in three-spined sticklebacks.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 704 pages
• Publisher: Roberts and Company Publishers; 1 edition (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981519407
• ISBN-13: 978-0981519401
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > Medical Books > Basic Sciences > Biostatistics
  • #16 in Books > Science & Math > Experiments, Instruments & Measurement > Methodology & Statistics
  • #26 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely wonderful textbook in every way, December 5, 2010

By 

Betsy (Austin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Analysis of Biological Data (Hardcover)

INTRO BIOSTATISTICS PROFESSORS: I implore you, MAKE THIS THE REQUIRED TEXTBOOK FOR YOUR CLASS. I was deeply unimpressed with my biostatistics professor this semester, but am sure that no matter how good a professor you are, this book can still make your class even better for your students. I found myself thinking that, even if I had gained next to nothing from the lectures, I had at least gotten a fantastic textbook out of the class.

This textbook is both wonderfully informative and - something that has been said by very few people not destined to graduate with a degree in biostatistics, I'd wager - actually enthralling. Over and over, I was excited to see what the results of the examples were, ended up doing unnecessary practice questions just to see what they found out. (The consistency with which every single data set and experiment mentioned in the book is interesting is boggling.)

And the book makes sense! The book is very well-written and well-worded, with highly understandable explanations (and a sense of humor to ease frustration). Additionally, the math is accessible and understandable, even for those (like myself) who remember nearly nothing of calculus and have very poor mathematical intuition. For those more interested in the mathematical underpinnings, however, the book doesn't shy away from the proofs and functions - even when it admits that, at this point, tests are going to be completely computerized anyway.

I came into statistics knowing nothing but a general feeling of unease and frustration. Thanks mostly to this textbook, statistics seems actively *exciting* to me, and makes a lot of sense. I highly recommend it, for all levels of interest and skill.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complicated Subject Made Simple, September 3, 2010

By 

Pastryman - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Analysis of Biological Data (Hardcover)

The book teaches complex statistics using biological examples. It has the tendency to make complicated knowledge quite attainable for students new to statistics. I highly recommend this text for anyone wishing to learn statistics but lacks statistical background.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book for Biostatistics, April 11, 2011

By 

ram - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Analysis of Biological Data (Hardcover)

I found this book very useful.I got this bbok for my coursework in Biostatistics and It helped me to gain deep knowledge on the concepts of ANOVA, t tests, regression , correlation and basic statistics. the solved example problems are very clear and explainable. The authors made this book a concise stat book for the beginners in statistics. I would definitely suggest this book for the beginners in statistics