University Press of America
Pages: 128
•
Trim: 6 x 9
978-0-7618-6759-3 • Paperback • June 2016 • $32.99 • (£25.00)
978-0-7618-6760-9 • eBook • June 2016 • $31.00 • (£25.00)
Barry Trunk received his Doctorate in Developmental Psychology and Statistics from The Ohio State University, and has taught statistics at the undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral levels for the past 30 years. In addition to this book on statistics, he is the co-author of two other books published by the University Press of America, and travels extensively for Capella University, assisting doctoral candidates with their research methodology and statistical analyses.
Leslie Olsen received her Master’s in English from the University of Washington and has been teaching writing to undergraduates, as well as Master’s and Doctorate seekers, for over 15 years. Her extensive background in writing makes her well situated to helping students with the elusive task of writing about numbers. She has several publications, and currently teaches composition and business writing online. She is a member of the Conference on College Composition and Communication Committee on Best Practices for Online Writing Instruction since 2010.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER 1–OK . . . LET’S GET STARTED
CHAPTER 2–QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: BEFORE THE CLASS STARTS
CHAPTER 3–SOME THINGS YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STATISTICS!
CHAPTER 4–IT’S NOT JUST WHAT YOU SAY, IT’S HOW YOU SAY IT
CHAPTER 5–SOME COMMON ISSUES WITHIN THE FIELD OF STATISTICS
CHAPTER 6–THE CHAPTER OF ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHAPTER 7–ODDS AND ENDS
CHAPTER 8–WRAPPING IT ALL UP
APPENDIX A–A COMPLETE EXAMPLE OF THE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE
APPENDIX B–MULTIPLE REGRESSION FOR YOU AND ME
APPENDIX C–HEY! LET’S LOOK AT MULTIVARIATE STATISTICS
This delightful little book will serve as a powerful companion to anyone who wishes to utilize a multitude of statistical methods in the pursuit of structuring, organizing, describing and interpreting research questions and findings in a wide range of social scientific disciplines. Barry Trunk and Leslie Olsen brilliantly provide not only a clear introduction to the study of quantitative methods, but present a tool that can serve as a user-friendly, go-to manual that puts into everyday language the commonalities that tie together a number of specific approaches to data analysis. Not only does this book take the fear out of the study of statistics, it serves to link plain language to statistical procedures which will help the researcher describe in clear terms the meaning behind those procedures. After all, as social scientists, we are in the business of describing and explaining psychological constructs in clear language that advances (not obscures) an understanding of the world around us. This book will be one that the student will want to refer to over and over again as a reminder of how to stay on track in that pursuit.
— Brian Zax, PhD, Adjunct Faculty, Capella University
Professors Trunk and Olsen bring their own unique specializations to what for many students is a daunting task—understanding statistics! Trunk (the statistics specialist) and Olsen (the writing specialist) combine their talents and accomplish their goal of addressing the initial anxieties and fears that often accompany the first-time statistics student. They do so with a friendly, conversational style while still providing an in-depth, yet non-threatening approach to the material. As an introduction and overview to a statistics course, this text can be an invaluable tool. It is comprehensive without being overwhelming, and academically sound without being boring. This last feat requires talent, and Trunk and Olsen pull it off.
— William Cooney, PhD, Florida Gulf Coast University
It can be difficult for a professor teaching statistics to both 1) find ways to bring simplicity and clarity to teaching various statistical procedures that many students see as hopelessly confusing and complex, and 2) deal with the very real sense of anxiety that many students bring to a statistics class. Now you can let Barry Trunk and Leslie Olsen do a lot of the heavy lifting of calming student fears and bucking them up so that they can successfully learn and apply statistics. This wonderful supplemental text is written in a humorous, breezy, confident style which will de-escalate frantic students in statistics courses, answer their very real questions (which they may be too timid to ask), and help them understand the concepts that lurk behind the various statistical procedures you are teaching in the classroom. It also provides students with valuable tips for how to do well in statistics courses, how to handle statistics software, and the very important area of how to write up statistical analyses for their research. An enjoyable handy dandy guide that will be like a witty, reassuring friend to your statistics jittery students.
— Jack Hill, PhD, Chair, Psychology Department, Morningside College