Choosing and Using Statistics: A Biologist's Guide

by Calvin Dytham

The first edition of this excellent handbook was extremely well received by both students and lecturers alike. It has helped to simplify the often complex and difficult task of choosing and using the right statistics package.

This is a book for any student or professional biologist who wants to process data using a statistical package on the computer, to select appropriate methods, and extract the important information from the often confusing output that is produced. It is aimed primarily at undergraduates and masters students in the biological sciences who have to apply statistics in practical classes and projects. Such users of statistics do not have to understand either how tests work or how to do the calculations, and these aspects are not covered in the book.

The new edition has been updated to cover the very latest versions of the computer packages described, expanded to include coverage for logistic regression, a more detailed consideration of multivariate analysis, data exploration and further examples of Principle Component Analysis and Discriminate Function Analysis are given.

New edition will use SPSS 10.0, Minitab 13.1 and Excel 2000.
New simplified version of the Key and flow chart of decisions to reach simple statistical tests.
Section on multivariate techniques expanded to give further examples of PCA and DFA.
Aimed at students using statistics for projects and in practical classes.
Statistical jargon explained through an extensive glossary and key to symbols.
Stresses the importance of experimental design, measurement of data and interpretation of results rather than an understanding of the statistical tests themselves.

Genres: Mathematics, Reference, Nonfiction, Biology, Textbooks, Science

248 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 1998

Reviews

[Robin DiPasquale · Rating 5 out of 5]

So useful!!!! I’ve always been terrible at stats, ALWAYS! This makes it easy to understand what types of tests will work with my data and I love the instructions for the different software. Then, you’re even told how to interpret the results. This book is magic. I now actually have an understanding of stats for my dissertation.

[Anabela]

Very good for those who hate statistics. It helps us to choose a method without loosing time in all the unnecessary statistical descriptions.

[Becky McWilliams Guinness · Rating 5 out of 5]

The other book that got me through university. I would never have gotten through my research project and countless other assignments without this brilliant guide to statistics!