Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.

This book is great. It is helping me a lot. This is very important for the statisticians.

"The book's cardinal virtue is as a reference text.
I recommend the book as a useful addition to a research methodology library.

IT INDEED SERVES THE PURPOSE OF BEING A QUICK REFRESHER FOR TERMS we haven't seen since our days in statistics class."
---Research Methods Resource
[from the book of the back cover]

This dictionary defines any term I come across in research for social sciences. It has helped me in classes as well as prepare for research. It is a "must-have" for anyone in social sciences!