Choosing and Using Statistics: A Biologist's Guide - Softcover

Dytham, Calvin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1405102438 ISBN 13: 9781405102438

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2003

Synopsis

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.

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• 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.

About this title

About the Author

Calvin Dytham is a Reader in the Department of Biology at the University of York, UK.

Review

" A student affordable recommended purchase with no equation in sight!" Microbiology Today, Feb 2000

"It would be an interesting experiment (with appropriate statistical tests of course), to see how often a lab copy was used by researchers and academic staff. I suspect it would be rather frequently and with good reason!" Biologist Vol 46 No 4

"In summary, an excellent text with a refreshing viewpoint." TecNews, May 1999

"A valuable handbook for all biologists completing statistical analysis." Sherkin Comment, October 2000

"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...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 considration of multivariate analysis, data exploration and further examples of Principle Component Analysis and Discriminate Function Analysis are given." Ethology, Ecology and Evolution, Volume 15, No 3, September 2003

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1405102438
• ISBN 13: 9781405102438
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 264