Statistics Without Tears

CONTENTS of STATISTICS WITHOUT TEARS

Introduction.
How to use this book.

1. Statistical inquiry.
Making sense of experience.
What is statistics?
Descriptive and inferential statistics.
Collecting a sample.

2. Describing our sample.
Statistical variables.
Error, accuracy and approximations.

3. Summarizing our data.
Tables and diagrams.
Central tendency (averages).
Measures of dispersion.

4. The shape of a distribution.
Skewed distributions.
Introducing the normal distribution.
Proportions under the normal curve.
Comparing values.

5. From sample to population.
Estimates and inferences.
The logic of sampling.
A distribution of sample-means.
Estimating the population-mean.
Estimating other parameters.

6. Comparing samples.
From the same or different populations?
Significance testing.
The significance of significance.
Comparing dispersions.
Non-parametric methods.

7. Further matters of significance.
One- versus two-tailed tests.
z-tests and t-tests.
Comparing several means.
Comparing proportions.

8. Analysing relationships.
Paired values.
Three kinds of correlation.
The strength of a correlation.
The significance of a correlation coefficient.
Interpreting a correlation coefficient.
Prediction and regression.

Postscript.
Review.
Caution.

Bibliography.

Index.