Basic Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences

Focusing on principles and techniques that are appropriate for the introductory level, this text provides a conceptual, intuitive approach to applied statistics that replaces proofs and derivations with examples and illustrations. The focus throughout is on the usefulness of statistics and content is organized according to statistical applications, not statistical assumptions.

Focused on principles and techniques, this book provides a conceptual, intuitive approach to applied statistics that replaces proofs and derivations with examples and illustrations. The focus throughout is on the usefulness of statistics and content is organized according to statistical applications, not statistical assumptions. Emphasizes informed applications of statistics — but provides a balance of applications and theory. Explores the statistical procedures that are most useful in the social and behavioral sciences — with a focus on essential concepts and techniques needed in order to begin to evaluate data and read research literature in the behavior sciences. Groups statistics by purpose, not assumption. Demonstrates appropriate applications as well as computational mechanics and interpretation. Shows that statistics is not the study of numbers, but the study of people, cities, and the concerns of the everyday world.