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

~ Andy Field (Author) "There are several things that I need to talk about before the main body of this book..." (more)
Key Phrases: display rule task, logistic regression dialog box, access the main dialog box, Beck Depression Inventory, Sphericity Assumed, Bound Bound (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is definitely the best written stats book I've seen. I found myself reading through it like a novel, just because I found it interesting. In addition, I like that it is well-integrated with the SPSS information, and I think the students will really appreciate it, too."
(Kimberly Dasch )

`The new edition of Field's textbook confirms its place as the best statistics text for undergraduate social science students … Essential reading' - Dr Ian Walker

Department of Psychology, University of Bath

`The new edition of Field's textbook confirms its place as the best statistics text for undergraduate social science students … Essential reading' - Dr Ian Walker

Department of Psychology, University of Bath

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'The mathematics behind the tests is always given in considerable detail. This is admirable and helps students to see the logics behind the tests...I like the exploration of the various options for the tests he discusses, and the discussions of the pros and cons of specific variants of tests' - Nurse Researcher (David C. Howell ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Field makes concerted efforts to provide statistical tools in a very lighthearted fashion by throwing in humor, with great success...  Very useful, valuable, and interesting.  Highly recommended." (D.V. Chopra Choice Magazine )

"Aimed at a wide student audience, the objectives are to explain statistics theory and practice in a clear, engaging, user-friendly way, and the book does this well. For the purist, some of the phrasing might be loose and the theory light, but the book works well as an introductory text for its intended audience." (Andrew Millard, Research Officer of Greater Glasgo NHS )

"This text is notable for the breadth of statistics covered and for seamless meshing this content with SPSS." (Eileen Gigliotti ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd (June 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761957553
• ISBN-13: 978-0761957553
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #226,054 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows, December 16, 2003

By	Ken Kolosh, Instructional Researcher at Thoms... (Naperville, IL) - See all my reviews

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.

57 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best SPSS book on the market, November 29, 2000

By	Mark Gray - See all my reviews

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!

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, statistics and fun can be used in a single sentence, November 1, 2004

By	Amrit Tiwana "www.bus.iastate.edu/tiwana" (Decatur, Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.