Data Analysis: An introduction

This is an introductory textbook in data analysis and statistics, designed for students in the first year of a social sciences degree. The key concepts of data analysis are explained in a clear and straightforward manner, avoiding unnecessary jargon. Very little mathematical knowledge is assumed on the part of the reader, and a variety of examples are used to illustrate the ideas and techniques.
One of the central aims of the text is to ensure that students understand the basic principles of exploratory data analysis before they become involved in manipulating large quantities of data. Hence the author generally uses small data sets to introduce the key concepts, and gradually moves toward the handling of larger data sets.
The text uses the Minitab computer analysis package, which is one of the most popular statistical packages available in institutions of higher and further education. Students are told how to use the package before they are introduced to the ideas of methods of data analysis.
This clear, jargon-free textbook will be an invaluable aid for students beginning courses in the social sciences and related fields, such as social policy, business studies and health care.

Bryan Nolan is Senior Lecturer at South Bank University and Tutor Counsellor for the Open University.