Data Matters

Today's reader is increasingly inundated with data and statistics, yet has little mathematical or statistical training to help him understand the storm of data in which he lives. Data Matters talks directly to those readers, without formulas, without heavy mathematics. It will appeal to any motivated reader who wants help understanding the data he reads in the newspaper, sees on TV, or encounters on the job. Author Nicholas Maxwell uses easy-to-understand explanations, real-world contexts and a focus on statistical concepts to help bring a deeper understanding of the world. Each chapter is packed with real data and quotes from today's news media. Interesting and relevant topics are used to illustrate the core mathematical ideas. The text is written with non-math, non-science readers in mind. Yet it still provides the resources needed to fully understand and apply statistics. TOC:Introduction.- Part I: Statistics in the News - Basic Concepts of Statistical Thinking Presented in the Context of Categorical Data.- Proportions in Samples, Proportions in Populations.- The pattern in Random Samples' Proportions.- Making Inferences.- Testing Locations and Differences of Proportions.- Averages and Other Number-line Statistics in the News.- Part II: Statistics in Science - Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for Continous Data.- How a Sample's Data is Distributed and what that reveals about the Population.- Testing Treatments.- Analysis of Variance.- Best Lines.- Tests of Regression.- Postscript: A Statistical Life.