Statistics for Terrified Biologists

by Helmut F. van Emden

Makes mathematical and statistical analysis understandable to even the least math-minded biology student This unique textbook aims to demystify statistical formulae for the average biology student. Written in a lively and engaging style, Statistics for Terrified Biologists, 2 nd Edition draws on the author’s 30 years of lecturing experience to teach statistical methods to even the most guarded of biology students. It presents basic methods using straightforward, jargon-free language. Students are taught to use simple formulae and how to interpret what is being measured with each test and statistic, while at the same time learning to recognize overall patterns and guiding principles. Complemented by simple examples and useful case studies, this is an ideal statistics resource tool for undergraduate biology and environmental science students who lack confidence in their mathematical abilities.  Statistics for Terrified Biologists presents readers with the basic foundations of parametric statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, linear regression and chi-square, and guides them to important extensions of these techniques. It introduces them to non-parametric tests, and includes a checklist of non-parametric methods linked to their parametric counterparts. The book also provides many end-of-chapter summaries and additional exercises to help readers understand and practice what they’ve learned. This second edition of Statistics for Terrified Biologists is an invaluable guide that will be of great benefit to pre-health and biology undergraduate students.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Biology

432 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2008

About the author

Helmut Fritz van Emden

Reviews

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this very useful for learning the mechanics of some common statistical practices (you know, instead of selecting them from dropdown menus or functions). I also appreciated the introduction to various experimental designs for ANOVA, which seems to be assumed as understood in most literature.

I had two problems with the book. First, I wished that the author would not have worked so hard to avoid algebraic notation in favor of text. The text explanations are helpful, but it's a lot easier to follow the math when mathematical language is used (and supplemented with text explanations). Second, there are a disturbing number of typos in this book, and a fair number of them are in the math, not just in the writing (where you can discern the meaning through the typo). It's rather frustrating to find typos in the solutions in the back of the book. The typos get worse as the book goes on, making me think that the editor lost focus as they worked through it. There is apparently a second edition, and I'd recommend paying for it just because some of the typos might be eliminated.

As a good explanation of why basic parametric statistics works the way it does, it was well worth it. That said, I'm not doing any more statistics on a pocket calculator again. It's the 21st century.