Using Basic Statistics in the Behavioral and Social Sciences

In this fully updated edition of Using Basic Statistics in the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Annabel Ness Evans presents introductory statistics in a practical, conceptual, and humorous way, reducing the anxiety that many students experience in introductory courses. Avoiding complex notation and derivations, the book focuses on helping readers develop an understanding of the underlying logic of statistics, rather than rote memorization. Focus on Research boxes engage students with realistic applications of statistics, and end-of-chapter exercises ensure student comprehension. This exciting new edition includes a greater number of realistic and engaging global examples within the social and behavioral sciences, making it ideal for use within many departments or in interdisciplinary settings.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1. Introduction to Statistical Concepts Chapter 2. Organizing and Presenting Data Chapter 3. Describing the Central Tendency of Distributions Chapter 4. Describing the Variability of Distributions Chapter 5. Describing the Position of Scores in Distributions Chapter 6. Introduction to Inference: The Normal Curve Chapter 7. Introduction to Inference: Probability Chapter 8. Introduction to Inference: The Random Sampling Distribution Chapter 9. Inference with the Normal Curve Chapter 10. Inference with the t Distribution Chapter 11. Inference with the F Distribution Chapter 12. Analysis of Variance with Repeated Measures Chapter 13. Multiple Comparison Procedures Chapter 14. Inference with the Chi-Square Distribution Chapter 15. Additional Non-Parametric Techniques Chapter 16. Correlational Techniques Chapter 17. Predictive Techniques Chapter 18. Choosing the Appropriate Test of Significance

About the Author :
Annabel Ness Evans  received her PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Alberta in 1979. She was the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Concordia University of Edmonton from 1975 until 2013, when she retired as Professor Emerita to muddle about in her garden, ski her brains out, and basically have a really good time. She has written two previous texts. Her Using Basic Statistics in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (2014) is in its fifth edition and is available from Sage. She has coauthored a book, Principles of Behavior Analysis (1994), with Lyle Grant.  Annabel’s sons, Christiaan, Marcus, and Luke, are grown and on their own so she lives with her Havanese dog, Skye, who has shown a notable lack of interest in psychological research.  

Review :
"One of the best organized statistics texts I’ve seen.  Specifically, the organization fits conceptually in an innovative way." "The author is obviously an expert in statistics and an experienced teacher. The material was presented in a way that is easily understood with examples, charts, and figures, etc. The information is accurate and reflects the current thinking of the field." "It is good that this book deals with topics such as multiple comparisons that many people would consider too advanced for an introductory statistics course but which are ubiquitous in the literature. This book does a great job of preparing students with what they will need to understand many research articles in health care." "The accessibility in language use and clear examples from multiple social science disciplines make this book usable in a wide range of courses (including interdisciplinary programs, like the division for social, behavioral, and global studies on our campus)." "…[T]he explanation is clear and appropriate for social science researchers. It is the strength of this textbook to add some statistical concepts behind each topic, particularly the calculation process to explain the concepts behind. The summary formula section at the end of each chapter is particularly helpful for both instructors and students to get an overall picture of the major theory behind each chapter. The textbook really does a nice job in explaining the "why" aspect than most of the current textbooks in the market." "Extremely well organized. Builds on previous learned concepts. I appreciated the short referrals back to a previous chapter or a future chapter." "I liked the casual tone of the author and the thoroughness of the material, especially in the probability chapter. I also especially liked the explanation of the absolute zero point (a concept that students routinely struggle with). Also, I found the ‘Alerts’ and ‘FYIs’ helpful." "[The text] leads students to derive the important formulas so that they will know what the concepts represent and where they come from. The real world examples from published research provide important motivation for students to understand how and why we use these techniques." "I think this book does a great job of being accessible and easy to read. I also like all the examples and practice problems, as well as the sections highlighting when to use each statistical analysis. I also think the examples do a great job of breaking down the equations into steps and parts, because students often get intimidated when they see these equations that include numbers and symbols that make zero sense. In addition, the figures and charts make the written content easier to understand, which is critical in these types of texts…" "…[T]his textbook has several key strengths. First, the inclusion of the ‘Focus on Research’ sections at the end of each chapter provides students with a practical exposure to statistical concepts and analyses. These practical applications can sometimes be lost in introductory statistics courses that focus heavily on the how-to aspects of statistical analyses. Indeed, rather than simply provide students with unspecified datasets, the author provides background information providing context to problems that students are working through. The author also does an excellent job of summarizing key information at the end of each chapter. Particularly in chapters in which multiple statistical methods are presented (e.g., Chapter 10), this is particularly useful in helping students organize the information. This information, compiled in Appendix A, is the perfect study guide for students. Additionally, the style of this textbook is very conducive to helping students work through the various statistical methods. In particular, the author does an excellent job of working through step-by-step examples that students can follow when working through problems on their own. Furthermore, the author does a good job of explaining difficult concepts. For example, the explanation of the sampling distribution and the logic of hypothesis testing, typically difficult concepts for introductory students, was clearly written in an easy-to-follow manner. In general, the whole book follows this unintimidating style." "Great writing, easy for students to understand, great visual aids in the text, very thorough, current." "The clear and concise style of presentation represents a clear strength for this text. Further, the author uses excellent examples throughout the text to illustrate key concepts and analytic approaches. The homework problems are also appropriate and helpful." "I like that the review question answers are provided in detail on a different page than the question. In the inferential section, the summary box is very helpful. Similarly, the outline of steps in inferential chapters [is] very clear and helpful. Realistic practice examples with the steps articulated. I like the outline type of recap after each chapter and the alerts—they address many of the questions I have heard in class..."