Statistics: The Art and Science of Learning from Data

Alan Agresti and Chris Franklin have merged their research and classroom experience to develop this successful introductory statistics text. Statistics: The Art and Science of Learning from Data, Third Edition, helps students become statistically literate by encouraging them to ask and answer interesting statistical questions. It takes the ideas that have turned statistics into a central science in modern life and makes them accessible and engaging to students without compromising necessary rigor.

The Third Edition has been edited for conciseness and clarity to keep students focused on the main concepts. The data-rich examples that feature intriguing human-interest topics now include topic labels to indicate which statistical topic is being applied. New learning objectives for each chapter appear in the Instructor’s Edition, making it easier to plan lectures and Chapter 7 (Sampling Distributions) now incorporates simulations in addition to the mathematical formulas.

Alan Agresti is Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Statistics at the University of Florida. He taught statistics there for 38 years, including the development of three courses in statistical methods for social science students and three courses in categorical data analysis. He is author of over 100 refereed articles and five texts including "Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences" (with Barbara Finlay, Prentice Hall, 4th edition 2009) and "Categorical Data Analysis" (Wiley, 2nd edition 2002). He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Science from De Montfort University in the UK. In 2003 Alan was named "Statistician of the Year" by the Chicago chapter of the American Statistical Association and in 2004 he was the first honoree of the Herman Callaert Leadership Award in Biostatistical Education and Dissemination awarded by the University of Limburgs, Belgium. He has held visiting positions at Harvard University, Boston University, London School of Economics, and Imperial College and has taught courses or short courses for universities and companies in about 30 countries worldwide. Alan has also received teaching awards from UF and an excellence in writing award from John Wiley & Sons.

Christine Franklin is a Senior Lecturer and Lothar Tresp Honoratus Honors Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Georgia. She has been teaching statistics for more than 30 years at the college level. Chris has been actively involved at the national and state level with promoting statistical education at Pre-K–16 since the 1980s. She is a past Chief Reader for AP Statistic. She has developed three graduate level courses at the University of Georgia in statistics for elementary, middle, and secondary teachers. Chris served as the lead writer for the ASA-endorsed Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) Report: A Pre- K–12 Curriculum Framework.

Chris has been honored by her selection as a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, the 2006 Mu Sigma Rho National Statistical Education Award recipient for her teaching and lifetime devotion to statistics education, and numerous teaching and advising awards at the University of Georgia including election to the UGA Teaching Academy. Chris has written more than 50 journal articles and resource materials for textbooks.