Statistics for Dummies

by Deborah J. Rumsey

Statistics For Dummies, 2 nd Edition (9780470911082) is now being published as Statistics For Dummies, 2 nd Edition (9781119293521). While this version features an older Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the new release and should not be considered a different product.

The fun and easy way to get down to business with statistics Stymied by statistics? No fear ? this friendly guide offers clear, practical explanations of statistical ideas, techniques, formulas, and calculations, with lots of examples that show you how these concepts apply to your everyday life. Statistics For Dummies shows you how to interpret and critique graphs and charts, determine the odds with probability, guesstimate with confidence using confidence intervals, set up and carry out a hypothesis test, compute statistical formulas, and more. Packed with practical advice and real-world problems, Statistics For Dummies gives you everything you need to analyze and interpret data for improved classroom or on-the-job performance.

Genres: Mathematics, Nonfiction, Reference, Science, Business, German Literature, Stem

370 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2003

Reviews

[Guus van der Peet]

Afgelopen jaar 66 boeken gelezen, waarmee ik mijn reading challenge met 1 boek ben overstegen. Wat cijfertjes over mijn leesgedrag:

Gender:
- 33 mannen
- 29 vrouwen
- 2 gemengd (bloemlezingen ed)
- 1 non-binair
- 1 onbekend

Originele taal:
- 39 Nederlands
- 9 Engels
- 3 Middelnederlands
- 2 Frans
- 1 Latijn
- 1 Russisch
- 1 öööööö

Genre:
- 39 verhalende fictie
- 7 poëzie
- 4 autobiografieën
- 2 essaybundels
- 2 briefwisselingen
- 1 toneelstuk
- 1 graphic novel

Verschenen in:
- 1 Oudheid
- 3 Middeleeuwen
- 1 vroegmodern
- 4 negentiende eeuw
- 8 1900-1945
- 8 1945-2000
- 6 2000-2010
- 34 2010-2022


Beste boek: een gedeelde eerste plaats tussen Miniapolis van Rob van Essen en Ogentroost van A.H.J. Dautzenberg. Honorable mention aan de Roman van Limborch.

Slechtste boek: Robert van Genechtens Van den vos Reynaerde, Ruwaard Boudewijn en Jodocus, want letterlijke Nazipropaganda.


Verdere observaties over de staat van de taal:

- Weg met fragmentarische autofictie en affectieve crises! Leve de fantasie! Meer orinocodolfijnen, bizarre tandemtochten, praatgrage planten en poëzieminnende vissen! En bovenal veel meer zeekoeien in de Nederlandse literatuur

- Ik moet minder Nederlandcentrisch lezen volgend jaar

- Zee is beter dan Land (wat een geluk dat ik vorige week Lampje in een boekenkast vond)

- Wist je dat Middelnederlandse literatuur eigenlijk best wel vermakelijk kan zijn? Tijdens mijn colleges Middelnederlands las ik vooral vanuit een cultuurhistorisch perspectief, maar nu ik afgestudeerd ben realiseer ik me opeens dat Reinaerts streken eigenlijk heel erg grappig zijn, en moest ik oprecht een beetje intern juichen toen Elegast het duel met Eggeric won

- Joost Oomen was de grootste literaire ontdekking van het jaar, op de voet gevolgd door Mariken Heitman

- Ik vond Splinter Chabot al stom voordat het cool was

- Ik heb nog steeds geen betonblok op zolder gevonden

- Had ik al gezegd dat zeekoeien cool zijn?

[Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, listen. I hate studying stats. Yet, it was required for my degree. So here is the book that helped me. It's a good book for studying stats. I just can't force myself to click on any stars that might indicate that I appreciated this book in any way other than a purely scientific one. That being said.. if you must study stats and are clueless - this book should help. :)

[Kunlei Lian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for beginners. I have an Operations Research/Optimization background (Ph.D. actually), but I always feel confused about statistics. I tried many intro statistics books and ended up quitting after reading the first few chapters. This book introduces statistics in a very intuitive and structured way. There is very little math in the book but it did a good job explaining why some concepts are needed. An example is the Central Limit Theory. I took a statistical inference course in my graduate study but didn't understand this CLT. Things really start to make sense when I read this book.

[Christopher Desruisseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good primer/review of statistics. You do have to know basic algebra to understand the book though.

[Hui Goh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great if you are new to statistics, and need concepts explained in lay terms.

[Sahaj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skim read.

[Matt Mayevsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I regret that Professor Rumsey was not my teacher...

The book is designed for self-study. The whole text is divided into short sections, and frequent iterations make you remember more than you bargained for. The author took pity on her readers to a minimum limiting the math in the text. If you know the basics of algebra easily handle with the presented formulas, although acquisition of certain parts will require effort from you. Each example is very minutely analyzed. Some fragment reads like interesting stories, others require concentration. Statistics require time!
Without a doubt, this is a book for beginners. I allow myself to philosophical reflection. There are many doors that lead to understanding. Book's Professor Rumsey is the right door, to the right place.

[Dan White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I read this book I hated statistics. I still do, but at least now I know the properly terminology to explain just how much I loathe it.

[Paulo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es la primera vez que leo un libro de este estilo, dentro de la colección para Dummies. Entiendo que es posible que eso condicione mi opinión sobre el libro y esta misma crítica, pues seguramente alguna de las cosas que voy a decir se sobreentiende que va aparejada con ello.

Pues bien, el libro no está nada mal como introducción a un curso de estadística. Se trata de una recopilación de conceptos, fórmulas y ejemplos sobre estadística descriptiva e inferencia estadística básicas. Adaptando al currículo escolar español, cubre todas las materias de la educación secundaria (ESO y Bach) e incluso parte de algunas materias universitarias de introducción.

La autora escapa voluntariamente de la profundidad y el rigor, insiste en las ideas básicas y da una enorme cantidad de ejemplos, lo cual creo que es acertado teniendo en cuenta que el público objetivo del libro debe ser estudiantes que están haciendo alguna de las materias citadas en el párrafo anterior.

Ahora bien, la propia Rumsey dice en la introducción que se pueden leer capítulos sueltos si solo es de nuestro interés alguna cuestión concreta, o el libro entero de forma secuencial. Yo desaconsejaría totalmente esta última opción. Al leerlo todo seguido se hace muuuuuy repetitivo. Muy, muy repetitivo. Pero mucho, ¿eh? Repite las definiciones y conceptos básicos una y otra vez. Con las mismas palabras si hace falte. Incluso repite ejemplos. Eso hace que si lees solo capítulos sueltos, o salteados, no pierdas nada de información, pero hace que leerlo todo seguido acabe resultante cargante hasta el extremo.

Por otra parte, creo que acierta al dotar todos los capítulos de un buen número de ejemplos, pero creo que mejoraría si ofreciese algunos menos ejemplos superficiales a cambio de alguno más que esté explicado o que incluya los cálculos que expone. Tal y como está, uno acaba tendiendo a saltarse parte de esos ejemplos porque al dar solo el titular quedan demasiado vacíos de contenido.

En todo caso, como bien dice Rumsey, estamos a diario expuestos a gráficos, tablas, titulares, números que contienen información estadística, y debemos tener la capacidad de comprender, analizar y evaluar toda esa información, pues es (desgraciadamente) habitual que además esta contenga errores o sea (voluntariamente) tendenciosa. Así, este libro puede ayudar a mejorar esas capacidades a aquellos que tengan poco bagaje estadístico. Para ello, parte casi de cero, y puede ser leído por quien no tenga casi experiencia anterior con la estadística más allá de esa información diaria con la que se nos bombardea.

En esto último la estadística interviene a distintos niveles, no solo el puramente numérico: formular preguntas idóneas, diseñar estudios, recopilar datos válidos, analizarlos correctamente y extraer conclusiones apropiadas. Así, estamos ante un libro que sí puede ser recomendable para estudiantes que afronten sus primeros pasos con la estadística. Por ello, el libro ofrece un último capítulo con consejos para afrontar el estudio de la materia y la preparación de exámenes; algunos de ellos son bastante generales y serían válidos perfectamente para otras materias, mientras que otros están más orientados hacia esta.

[Daniel Lang · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Statistics For Dummies" by Deborah J. Rumsey is a user-friendly guide that aims to demystify the often complex world of statistics. The book caters to a wide audience, from beginners with little statistical background to those looking to refresh their knowledge. Rumsey has a knack for breaking down intricate statistical concepts into easy-to-understand language, making it accessible for readers with varying levels of expertise.

One of the strengths of the book is its hands-on approach, providing numerous examples and exercises that allow readers to apply what they've learned. The inclusion of real-world scenarios and practical applications helps bridge the gap between theory and practice, making statistics more relatable.

Rumsey's writing style is engaging, and she successfully maintains a balance between simplicity and depth. The book covers a broad spectrum of statistical topics, from basic concepts to more advanced techniques, offering a comprehensive overview.

However, some readers may find that certain sections lack the depth needed for a complete understanding of more intricate statistical methods. Additionally, those looking for a deep dive into specific areas of statistics might need to supplement their reading with more specialized texts.

In conclusion, "Statistics For Dummies" serves as an excellent introductory guide to statistics, providing a solid foundation for beginners and a refresher for those with some prior knowledge. Its practical approach and clear explanations make it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to navigate the world of statistics.

[Mero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short summary:
A great introductory statistics book for beginners

Details:

Pros
- simple and friendly to beginners even if you didn't take stats in school
-gives some real life examples of statistics
-nice reference for beginners on simple topics
-good start to get your foot into statistics for further learning and builds some foundation


Cons
-not enough practice in this book to help cement certain ideas
-certain topics not explained very will and intuition behind it not shown
-leaves out some important statistical tests like chi-squared for the second book (statistics for Dummies 2)


What to expect
-a nice and easy introduction into statistics with mostly good /great explanation with some lacking explanations

What not to expect
-a comprehensive book that contains all of statistics

How is this book for
-people who know absolutely nothing about statistics
-beginners who have some basic statistical knowledge

How isn't it for
-people who finished an introductory college level statistics course/book and found it easy
-or took a high/advanced level school statistics course and found it easy

Extra recommendations

While reading this book you could try using chatgbt to help you understand certain topics and also read online on topics when you don't understand very well and ask chatgpt to give you practice questions this really helps but if you feel stuck just continue reading the book and come back later to the section you don't understand

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gut gelungene Übersicht zum Thema Statistik. Die wichtigsten Begriffe werden einfach und verständlich erklärt und man erhält einen Einblick in die Abläufe von Umfragen, der Auswertung von Daten und wie man diese visualisiert. Stellenweise ein wenig zu viel Repetition, während an andren Orten ein wenig detaillierter auf die Konzepte eingegangen werden könnte. Alles in allem gut geeignet für alle die eine Auffrischung in Sachen Statistik oder eine erste Einführung benötigen.

[Daniel Durantes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buena opción para iniciarse en el mundo de la estadística, con lenguaje cercano pero explícito y aunque a veces redundante (la idea es que son capítulos independientes), se hace amena su lectura. No aprofundiza en temas técnicos ni complejos (tiene 2a parte en inglés), pero es suficiente como para formar un pensamiento crítico en relación a las estadísticas que consumimos en el día a día. Muy recomendable.

[Bryan Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very accessible. I read it in 2 sittings. Amazing review from Stats 1.

Used some real world examples that I hadn't thought of before. If your were to teach kids about how to sample a population, have one student come up and pretend to be a gourmet chef and demonstrate for the class how to test if the soup is good. Instinctively they will do an amazingly accurate job.

[Cosma Catalin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to introduce you in the "life" of statistics but also you first steps to deal with your future research. Overall a good book but with a lot of math at one point, for a doctor it can be overwhelming :)) It can be updated in the future to present the current software that can help you to calculate fast correlations and statistics .

[Maru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si ya se posee un cierto nivel de conocimiento en estadística, este libro brinda la oportunidad de memorizar algunos conceptos y cuestionar el origen de los mismos. No es muy formal o explicativo, es más bien procedimental. Funciona como trampolín para buscar otra literatura que aborde a profundidad la explicación de términos y conceptos.

[Stuart Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great refresher in statistics for me, well read and a humble author who shares with us the life of an educator and the examples she has seen over the years. The break downs of the subjects and the walkthroughs for the formulas I found very useful and will note down (I have many post-it notes in the book).

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Statistics was the bane of my existence while I was in college. It was required for my chosen degree, but I absolutely abhorred it. This book helps to break concepts down in a way that is (somewhat) easier to understand. If you are struggling with statistics, then this is definitely the book for you.

[Black Tea Lady ☕️📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitivamente me ayudó mucho a entender el lenguaje estadístico. Explica de un modo sencillo y con suficientes ejemplos para entender cómo se hacen las gráficas para cada dato y qué significan. Muy recomendable para aquellos que necesitan "masticar" más las definiciones.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to read before taking a college statistics class. It is written with humor which helps make what some may consider a dry math subject a lot easier to digest. The explanations are detailed and the author uses interesting real world examples. Highly recommended.

[Keith Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Studying statistics is helpful

This book helps the uninitiated to better understand the data presented by the mainstream media and sift through the bs they're trying to sell the ignorant and naive.

[Rúna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book for explaining the basic concepts, but as I was taking a Statistics/Python (Data Science) course, it only contained part of what I needed. I was surprised that it did not contain any information on multiple regression models.

[Kamil Chmielewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

great explanation about statistics. it all comes down to exploring sample size populations, standard deviations, margin of error and confidence intervals.

[Lillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

great for the interpretation of statistics; not very helpful with their creation. Somewhat dated also.

[Toph White · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good supplement to go with my text. Approachable.

[Jose · Rating 3 out of 5]

For learning and reference. Just fine for beginners, I suppose. I still need to learn more, though.

[retnolaras · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really light book with easy explanation, always come with example that makes it easier to understand

[Scott Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick refresher for an MBA econometrics class.

[Jorge Pablo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent to start digging into statistics. I read the latest edition, and I give it 5 stars.

[Tracy]

Good review for Statistics class.