Practical Statistics Simply Explained (Dover Books Explaining Science) [Paperback]

Russell Langley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0486227294 | ISBN-13: 978-0486227290 | Publication Date: June 1, 1971 | Edition: Revised

For those who need to know statistics but shy away from math, this book teaches how to extract truth and draw valid conclusions from numerical data using logic and the philosophy of statistics rather than complex formulae. Lucid discussion of averages and scatter, investigation design, more. Problems with solutions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 399 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; Revised edition (June 1, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486227294
• ISBN-13: 978-0486227290
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #640,637 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you only own one statistics book..., December 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Practical Statistics Simply Explained (Dover Books Explaining Science) (Paperback)

If you only own one statistics book, this should be it! In than 20 years of working with laypeople, engineering and biology undergraduates and grad. students and medical students, this has proven to be the most reliable, intelligible and accessible single volume on how to treat experimental and observational data in a sound, statistically valid, way. Of particular value is a table in the back (Guide to Significance Tests) which takes a "leaf identification" approach to selection of the most appropriate test. Many good examples and problems with solutions makes this an excellent self study text.

Jonathan Black, Professor Emeritus, Clemson University.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Simple, clear, and hard-working, May 1, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Practical Statistics Simply Explained (Dover Books Explaining Science) (Paperback)

Maybe you're just getting started as a stats user, maybe you're only an occasional user who doesn't want to relearn the whole field just to get quick answers. In either case, this book might be one of the best around.

The first half of the book is background: a little probability, a little bit about sampling and experimental design, a little about the most basic and common statistics (means, quartiles, etc).

The second half of the book offers a number of basic parametric and non-parametric significance tests. Langley describes each one, when it is applicable, and how to perform the calculations. He doesn't stray far into the slick computing tricks of the pre-calculator days, so the structure of each calculation stays reasonably clear.

The only real weakness in this book is its lack of index. That is especially incovenient because the tables, a staple of most stats books, are interleaved with the text. The table of contents is descriptive, but doesn't replace an index. The other problem, and not really a flaw in the book, is that it's easy to outgrow this text. Even moderately heavy stats users need a bit more theory and background, to allow meaningful adaptation to new conditions. The author has chosen an audience, though, and has addressed that audience and its needs very well. If your skills are beyond those of the intended reader, that's not a fault of the book.

Basic, clear, and reasonably broad - it's everything that an ordinary, casual stat user could want.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lives up to its title, February 22, 2006

By 

F. C. Caner "fcc-509" (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Practical Statistics Simply Explained (Dover Books Explaining Science) (Paperback)

This book is really written to be useful practically, and in that sense it is very successful. It is also written very concisely, so it is likely that it will clear many doubts. However, there are almost no theoretical explanations at all. In this sense, it is not a book that contributes to the theoretical understanding of statistics; so don't expect to know more about theory of statistics using this book; instead get ``Principles of Statistics" by M.G.Bulmer. This is a book to keep on the desk to help do practical statistical calculations and make inferences.