Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology: A Nontechnical Guide for the Social Sciences [Paperback]

W. (William) Paul Vogt (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0761912746 | ISBN-13: 978-0761912743 | Publication Date: September 11, 1998 | Edition: 2nd

Popular in its first edition, Dictionary of Statistics and Methodology will help students get through a difficult journal article or passage. This useful dictionary has been revised with 600 additional new terms and definitions compiled from readers' requests and suggestions! As you've come to appreciate in the first edition, the Second Edition of the Dictionary of Statistics and Methodology contains many examples and definitions written in ordinary English. Author W. Paul Vogt pays special attention to terms that most often prevent educated general readers from understanding journal articles and books by emphasizing concepts over calculations. The level of explanation varies with the simplicity or complexity of the term defined so that more detail is offered for basic terms (for more introductory readers) while less is used to explain more advanced concepts for readers who have more background.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the more interesting nuggets to fly off the Sage press in recent months has been this valuable little book. It is, in fact, a dictionary. Statistical and methodological terms are alphabetized, with brief definitions presented. The language in the text is concise and definitions are often presented with clear examples. Finally, the book realistically lives up to its title as being a ‘non-technical guide.’"  (Manuel J. Tejeda Research Methods Division Newsletter of the Academy of Management )

About the Author

W. Paul Vogt is Emeritus Professor of Research Methods and Evaluation at Illinois State University where he won both teaching and research awards. He specializes in methodological choice and program evaluation and is particularly interested in ways to integrate multiple methods. His other books include: Tolerance & Education: Learning to Live with Diversity and Difference (Sage Publications, 1998); Quantitative Research Methods for Professionals (Allyn & Bacon, 2007); Education Programs for Improving Intergroup Relations (co-edited with Walter Stephan, Teachers College Press, 2004). He is also editor of three four-volume sets in the series, Sage Benchmarks in Social Research Methods: Selecting Research Methods (2008); Data Collection (2010); and Quantitative Research Methods (2011).

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc; 2nd edition (September 11, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761912746
• ISBN-13: 978-0761912743
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,854 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Science
  • #98 in Books > Medical Books > Research

More About the Author

W. Paul Vogt is Emeritus Professor of Research Methods and Evaluation at Illinois State University, where he has won both teaching and research awards. Before coming to Illinois as an administrator and faculty member, he held similar posts at the State University of New York in Albany, NY. He has also been a visiting researcher at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes en Science Sociales in Paris (1980) and at the University of London Institute of Education (1986).

His areas of specialization include research design and data analysis with particular emphasis on combining qualitative, quantitative, and graphic approaches.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for nonstatisticians who must use statistics, July 20, 2000

By 

June A. Cline - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology: A Nontechnical Guide for the Social Sciences (Paperback)

This book provides the reader with short definitions of statistical and research terms in easy-to-understand language. It removes some of the mystery. I work with graduate students who are writing research proposals and either theses or dissertations. While they have completed coursework in statistics, they are unfamiliar with many of the terms that are used in journal articles and research books. This book provides a link to help them understand what they are reading and allows them to write their papers with more authority. I have recommended this book to my students, and the professors at several universities with whom I work. These professors are now suggesting their students purchase this book during their coursework to help them with critiques and other assignments.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal reference book, February 10, 2004

By 

Michael Hazel (Spokane, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology: A Nontechnical Guide for the Social Sciences (Paperback)

This is by far the most accessible, comprehensive, and
useful stat. reference book I have ever seen. At this
writing, I am a doctoral candidate in Communication and
have taken a variety of graduate level stat.courses from
the Math Stat. department at WSU. I wish I had
discovered this book earlier, as it would have been of
immense help. I am truly impressed with the author's clarity,
and the ease with which this text can be used by
beginning and advanced students alike. My hat goes off to
Professor Vogt.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Handy Resource for Research Students and Professionals, October 13, 2010

By 

Matt McCloud (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology: A Nontechnical Guide for the Social Sciences (Paperback)

W. Paul Vogt's dictionary is a thorough resource that explains important quantitative and qualitative concepts pertaining to the social and behavioral sciences. The entries are straightforward and complete with an emphasis on nontechnical explanations of the meaning of terms. For those looking for definition by formula, a different reference volume might be in order. Vogt's book is more geared to the applied researcher and student rather than the statistician. In the introduction, he states the dictionary is descriptive rather than prescriptive, terms being "described as they are actually used rather than how they `should' be used" (xi). There are plenty of illustrations, underscoring Vogt's pragmatic approach.

In accordance with such an approach, his style is expository. Unlike other dictionaries, where the terseness of entries can lead to more questions than answers, many of Vogt's definitions read like mini-essays, with plenty of examples, graphs, historical notes, evaluations, and useful commentaries. This is not always the case, however. Some entries are a bit lean, begging the question as to their meaning, but that may be due to a lack of space. In cases where other technical terms must be used to help elucidate the primary entry, they are cross-referenced using asterisks so that the user can look up other terms. I highly recommend this book.