What Are the Odds?
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Home > Mathematics and Science books > Mathematics > Probability and statistics > What Are the Odds?: A Statistical Guide to Certainty in an Uncertain World
What Are the Odds?: A Statistical Guide to Certainty in an Uncertain World

What Are the Odds?: A Statistical Guide to Certainty in an Uncertain World


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About the Book

An exhilarating tour of the data that drives our world and how to make it work for all of us.

Our world is awash in data. Streaming services track our viewing and listening habits to recommend movies and playlists. Government agencies analyze our credit card transactions to estimate the size of the economy. And artificial intelligence trains on massive quantities of text to answer the questions we ask it. If we want to understand how this deluge of information shapes our lives and even harness it ourselves to make smarter decisions, then we need statistics.

In What Are the Odds? Mark Prell shows that statistics consists of two interwoven strands: data and analysis. Just as important as asking what the data say is asking how reliable the data are. Through stories of centuries of statistical ingenuity, Prell teaches us how to apply the core concepts and methods of statistical thinking to determine the effectiveness of vaccines, build infrastructure to protect against natural disasters, and even plan for retirement. We learn how to avoid spurious reasoning and, just as important, how to recognize and improve data that have been cherry-picked, falsified, or are just plain wrong. As Prell argues, becoming a statistician, even an amateur one, is about more than manipulating data-it's about joining a community of statisticians committed to truth and integrity.



About the Author :
Mark Prell has authored or coauthored academic articles, book chapters, and government studies in economics, statistical methodology, and data quality. Prior to retirement, he was a senior economist at the US Department of Agriculture. He has served as Co-Chair of the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology, which advises US statistical agencies, and taught economics and statistics at Johns Hopkins University.

Review :
A timely and refreshing take on a pillar of our democracy—statistics. Mark Prell makes the topic easily understandable through his use of everyday examples. It is the perfect response to those who wonder why it is important to understand statistical methods and findings in our lives. A wonderful primer for anyone who would like to make better decisions and sort through the avalanche of poorly designed studies and misinformation that makes up much of today's online content. If you work with data, analyze information, or make evidence-based decisions, this book will make you better at doing so. The tools are all here, sure, but I think the big payoff is a sharpened perspective on what statistics are telling us, or not. A terrific way to learn about—or teach—the fundamental, counterintuitive concepts of probability and statistics. Prell grounds his explanations in fascinating real-world examples that show how statistical concepts work—and why they are so often misunderstood. A masterful introduction to statistics that reveals why we need good-quality data and what can go wrong when we don’t have it. Part story of statistics, part life manual, What Are the Odds? is an inspiring and motivational guide not just to harnessing the power of data but to doing so responsibly. With fresh insights and perspective, Prell helps readers apply statistical thinking to navigate today's welter of information and data. A persuasive argument that it’s not enough to interrogate statistical methods—we must interrogate the data itself. What Are the Odds? reminds us that good statistics require more than clever models—they require a culture grounded in honesty and mutual respect. Prell makes an unflinching case that such values are not niceties of science but its lifeblood.


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Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9780674296367
  • Publisher: Harvard University Press
  • Publisher Imprint: Harvard University Press
  • Height: 235 mm
  • No of Pages: 496
  • Returnable: 05
  • Returnable: 05
  • Returnable: 05
  • Sub Title: A Statistical Guide to Certainty in an Uncertain World
  • Width: 156 mm
  • ISBN-10: 0674296362
  • Publisher Date: 14 Apr 2026
  • Binding: Hardback
  • Language: English
  • Returnable: 05
  • Returnable: 05
  • Returnable: 05
  • Spine Width: 35 mm
  • Weight: 811 gr


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