Logistic Regression: A Primer (Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences) (Paperback)

~ Dr. Fred C. Pampel (Editor) "Many social phenomena are discrete or qualitative rather than continuous or quantitative in nature-an event occurs or it does not occur, a person makes one..." (more)
Key Phrases: logged odds, baseline log likelihood, cumulative standard normal curve (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Trying to determine when to use a logistic regression and how to interpret the coefficients? Frustrated by the technical writing in other books on the topic? Pampel's book offers readers the first "nuts and bolts" approach to doing logistic regression through the use of careful explanations and worked out examples. Pampel first offers readers a review of some basic concepts, such as exponents, percentage change, and likelihood functions. Next, he describes in some detail how taking the log of the odds eliminates the floor so that the transformation of logistic regression coefficients into coefficients that effect odds and probabilities makes more sense to readers. And, third, he describes maximum likelihood estimation through words and simple samples (along side of the formulas) so as to make the concept more concrete and the procedure easier to comprehend. Throughout the book, he emphasizes examples, explanations, and how to interpret the results of each procedure. This book will enable readers to use and understand logistic regression techniques and will serve as a foundation for more advanced treatments of the topic.

About the Author

Fred C. Pampel (Ph.D., University of Illinois) is Professor of Sociology and Research Associate of the Institute of Behavior Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder. With John Williamson, he is the author of Age, Class, Politics, and the Welfare State and Old Age Security in Comparative Perspective. He has published numerous articles on topics relating to social policy, age structure, and pension spending, and is currently doing research on age differences in income inequality and mortality from suicide and homicide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc; 1 edition (May 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761920102
• ISBN-13: 978-0761920106
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #75,168 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent explanation of this esoteric method., April 15, 2004

By	Gaetan Lion - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This is an excellent book on the subject. It covers the subject in detail. I work in a quantitative group of a large financial institution. My boss asked me recently to make a presentation on logistic regression, a subject I knew nothing about at the time.

Thanks to this book, I was able to develop the knowledge and expertise in this esoteric statistical method to make a descent presentation to my group. I was also able to develop basic logistic regression models in Excel.

Personally, unlike many of my colleagues (Russians with formidable backgrounds in math) I don't have an advanced knowledge in math or statistic. The book reviewed and taught me what I needed to know to grasp logistic regression. This included an excellent review of logarithms and partial derivatives.

If you are interested to learn this subject, and you need the equivalent of a most user friendly "Logistic Regression for Dummies" this is the book for you.

By the way, logistic regression is not so well known today outside of academic and quantitatively oriented circle. But, after studying it, I feel like it will take over linear regression big time. It is such a superior method to analyze situations associated with human behavior and human choices. Whether you are a psychologist, social scientist, or developer of financial products you will sooner or later have to grasp logistic regression because your counterparts and competitors will. And, in the statistical evaluation of decision-making, linear regression just can't compete with logistic regression. This book will help you catch the logistic regression wave.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro, July 6, 2009

By	Charlotte Booklover (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This book is a good, quick introduction that will allow you to jump right into logistic regression. I found Pampel's writing to be comprehensible and quite suitable for anyone with a good working knowledge of regular linear regression.

All in all, you could do far worse if you need a basic overview into LR. Think of this as a good book to let you know what you need to know. It'd also make a good reference if you need a primer on logs.