Customer Reviews

Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows: Advanced Techniques for Beginners (Introducing Statistical Methods series)

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The advent of statistical software for the personal computer in the 1980s can be argued to be both a great advancement as well as a critical liability for the field of research. Statistical software has certainly made difficult analytical tasks easier to accomplish, enabling more people to benefit from the use of quantitative techniques. The ever-increasing speed of the personal computer allows researchers to conduct complex analysis in minutes that would have taken days to complete manually. However, with this increased speed and usability comes pitfalls. The ease and speed of statistical software has encouraged some researchers to take a shotgun approach to analysis by running large numbers of analyses instead of strategically selecting analyses guided by theory. Statistical packages also make it possible to run complex procedures that may be misapplied or misinterpreted by researchers without a solid understanding of statistical principles.

No book can stop unscrupulous researchers from supporting their hypotheses by cherry picking favorable results from hundreds of analyses conducted. Well-intentioned students and researchers, however, can turn to Andy Field's book Discovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows for the statistical background and guidance needed to appropriately select, execute, and interpret results.

Field's book bridges the gap between introductory/intermediate statistical textbook and software manual. This engaging, easy to read book leads the reader through:
· Introduction to statistical models
· Exploring data
· Correlations
· Regression
· Logistic regression
· Comparing means
· ANOVA
· Complex ANOVA
· Repeated measures design
· MANOVA
· Exploratory factor analysis.
Each topic of the book begins with an overview of the applicable statistical theory. The theory is presented in non-technical language and references numerous sources for readers wanting a more in-depth review. When background material does become technical, these sections are specially labeled to alert non-technical readers. Field focuses particularly on the statistical assumptions of each statistical technique and how to use SPSS to test for them.

Following the review of statistical theory, each topic includes one or more exercises. Readers are guided step by step through each analysis from dummy coding data, through entering in the necessary SPSS commands, to interpreting SPSS output. An accompanying CD furnishes the data sets used in each exercise, allowing readers to work though each exercise and check results against the book. Through these exercises, Field shows how results can be misinterpreted without a thorough investigation of the data. Great pains are taken throughout the exercises to demonstrate the perils of blindly trusting SPSS output without understanding the theory and underlying statistical assumptions.

From this review, it is obvious that I greatly enjoyed reading the book. I assume that this book is intended primarily for students and practitioners without an extensive background in statistics. However, I found this book to be beneficial in reviewing concepts studied in graduate school more than ten years ago. Field accomplishes the difficult task of simplifying complex topics into everyday language without talking down to his readers. This book is perfectly suited for the non-statistical expert looking for guidance with running analyses with SPSS.

Field's book is simply the best volume written yet for beginning users of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Unlike most stats or software books, Field uses humor, wit and quirky real world examples to provide an easy and enjoyable read. The version I purchased came with a CD including all the data used in the book's examples. Chapters 1-4 are great primers for stats and Field does eventually take the reader into some more sophisticated analyses including Logistic Regression and Factor Analysis. Step by step instructions are supplemented by screen captures and graphs. This is an invaluable book for anyone faced with the challenge of learning SPSS for a class or for business. I would recommend it over any of the 15 or so books I've read regarding SPSS -- including the official manuals!

I use statistics for a living (I'm an empirical researcher). I've had my Ph.D. for several years now and own all of the usual stuff like the Hair book, the array of SPSS manuals, and the Tabachnik and Fidell book. Of all the books and books I've used,read, and owned this is the singly most user friendly book on the topic. If you use SPSS in your work, I promise that this will be the best forty dollars you can spend. I wish more stats books were written in this tone. The book is actually fun to read, which is the highest compliment that a stats book can get. It is also very accurate. The single downside of this book is that it lacks references to research on which its recommendations are based. This book might be too weak for statisticians but it is just perfect for those who use statistical methods, especially SPSS. Very highly recommended.

Can I give 3.14 stars? LOL

I will have to say this one, "SPSS Survival Manual" is the winner.

I've owned this book and a few others on SPSS and or multivariate data analysis for several years. However, a friend of mine recently called me and asked me how to do a few less ordinary things in SPSS. After spending some time on the phone with him I decided to look back at these books and suggest/give one to my friend.

I think the "SPSS Survival Manual" by Julie Pallant is somewhat of an easier read for the graduate student or market researcher who wants to quickly look up a certain how-to topic for SPSS.

"Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows" by Andy Field, on the other hand goes into more detail on the statistics behind the techniques in SPSS. This one reads a little more like a text book though and can be a bit dry/technical unless this is your thing.

I tested the two by seeing which would do a better job of explaining how to conduct a Factor Analysis (PCA) in SPSS. "Discovering Statistics..." by Andy Field would have lost my friend right away, and by page three or four is listing formulas and quadrant plots. "SPSS Survival Manual" by Pallant on the other hand got into the `how to' part rather quickly with clear to follow examples.

If you're like my friend/more into getting it done quickly and correctly without getting bogged down with the academic detail, then definitely purchase the "SPSS Survival Manual".

If on the other hand you're not scared of a little extra math/statistics and have the extra time, you may want to think about "Discovering Statistics".

However, for the hard core multivariate analytics people, neither of these books will due. I would suggest something like "Multivariate Data Analysis" by Hair, Anderson, Tatham, & Black. This goes a few steps beyond Andy Fields Book.

Hope this helps someone.

Tom Anderson
Anderson Analytics, LLC
http://www.andersonanalytics.com

A.Field's "Discovering Statistics" (using SPSS for Windows)is a must book for not only undergraduate and graduate students but also for the instructors like myself. The language of the book is stimulating the redaer, and Mr.Field's way of explanation is both a creative one and has the sense of humor which makes the book more readable. Its content is well-designed and the reader is able to follow up what each type of analysis is all about, and more importantly how the outcome shoul be interpreted. Although first chapters are written as a refreshment of statistical knowledge, I would like to suggest to the reader to have a primary knowledge about both the basics of research methodology and statistical methods as well as statistical techniques to use them in accordance with the research problem(s).I would also like to point out the fact that some critical issues like "the meaning of standart error" is explained in an efficient way in comparison to that of ordinary statistics textbooks. In short, the book is, indeed, a very helpful one for anybody who wants to use SPSS for this or another reason.

I just started using this book, but I can tell already it is perfect. I bought it because of the reviews it got and this book has moved me to make my first review ever.

HERE IS YOUR SITUATION: You are working on a research project and need to analyze some data. But woops, you drank all through college and couldnt be bothered to attend the research methods class too often. Now you need to not only know what the hell an ANOVA really is, but you need to produce results using SPSS. You could ask for help, but dont want to seem like you cant work independently.

Folks, this book is for you. It starts at the beginning of it all and assumes you know nothing. In a short time you will know exactly what you are talking about and will be suggesting alternative statistical analyses that might better fit your data.

WOW, now you are a stats guru.

Is this your situation? If so, look no further and buy it now.

I have taken statistics as an undergrad and as an MBA student. I am good at math, not the stereotypical math phobic female. But I always have had problems connecting the statistics with what to do, when to do it and what the results were telling me. Well, here I am again as a graduate student working on a Masters degree in Sociology. I am working on my thesis and this book pulled everything together. It matched up SPSS and statistics so that you know what to do, why to do it, how to make SPSS do what you want, and how to interpret the results. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is very clear, very cogent, in English as opposed to stero instructions, and charming as well. I highly recommend it!

One of the things I admire about people is their ability to recognize others who share similar interests and talents and to give credit where credit is due. In the preface to his book Andy Field cites other authors who have written books about SPSS and stastical theory. I have bought those books and they are well worth the price.
This book is an excellent introduction
to both SPSS and statistics. The book is written with a light, humorous style. It has a lot of examples of statistical analysis. It is obvious that the author has an excellent grasp of SPSS and statistics. It contains a very useful bibliography on statistics and SPSS. There is also a CD ROM included. The book is very well organized and has high quality screen prints of SPSS windows and dialogue boxes. It is one of the best software manuals I have ever purchased. It is well worth the price. If you don't purchase any other book on SPSS, purchase this one

I'm a PhD student in the process of analyzing survey data. This book has been the most helpful that I have found for detailing the numerous tests and variations of each test that SPSS has to offer, especially for someone who is statistics illiterate. I would recommend getting a copy of SPSS for windows Step by Step 11.0 Update by Darren George and Paul Mallery, it makes a good companion to this book.

The is the best SPSS book I have ever read, and I think I've read them all! It goes beyond the basic beginner's text, and yet I think new SPSS users, and new Stat students would also find this book understandable and useful. Field's explicit and well organized descriptions and explanations of the theory, methods,diagnostic steps, and interpretation of output for various statistical procedures are fantastic, and he has a wry sense of humor that reminds us that reasearch can actually be exciting and fun (honestly!). I know I will use this book for years to come, and will buy new editions as they are printed.