Statistics Essentials For Dummies@

__Statistics Essentials For Dummies__(9781119590309) was previously published as__Statistics Essentials For Dummies__(9780470618394). While this version features a new__Dummies__cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.__Statistics Essentials For Dummies__not only provides students enrolled in Statistics I with an excellent high-level overview of key concepts, but it also serves as a reference or refresher for students in upper-level statistics courses. Free of review and ramp-up material,__Statistics Essentials For Dummies__sticks to the point, with content focused on key course topics only. It provides discrete explanations of essential concepts taught in a typical first semester college-level statistics course, from odds and error margins to confidence intervals and conclusions. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical statistics concepts as they help high school students with homework assignments, as well as for adult learners headed back into the classroom who just need a refresher of the core concepts.__**The Essentials For Dummies**__**Series**Dummies is proud to present our new series,__The Essentials For Dummies.__Now students who are prepping for exams, preparing to study new material, or who just need a refresher can have a concise, easy-to-understand review guide that covers an entire course by concentrating solely on the most important concepts. From algebra and chemistry to grammar and Spanish, our expert authors focus on the skills students most need to succeed in a subject. Title Page 3 Copyright Page 4 Table of Contents 7 Introduction 13 About This Book 13 Conventions Used in This Book 14 Foolish Assumptions 14 Icons Used in This Book 14 Where to Go from Here 15 Chapter 1 Statistics in a Nutshell 17 Designing Studies 17 Surveys 17 Experiments 18 Collecting Data 19 Selecting a good sample 19 Avoiding bias in your data 20 Describing Data 20 Descriptive statistics 20 Charts and graphs 21 Analyzing Data 22 Making Conclusions 22 Chapter 2 Descriptive Statistics 25 Types of Data 25 Counts and Percents 26 Measures of Center 27 Measures of Variability 29 Percentiles 30 Finding a percentile 31 Interpreting percentiles 32 The Five-Number Summary 33 Chapter 3 Charts and Graphs 35 Pie Charts 35 Bar Graphs 36 Time Charts 38 Histograms 39 Making a histogram 39 Interpreting a histogram 41 Evaluating a histogram 42 Boxplots 43 Making a boxplot 43 Interpreting a boxplot 44 Chapter 4 The Binomial Distribution 47 Characteristics of a Binomial 47 Checking the binomial conditions step by step 48 Non-binomial examples 48 Finding Binomial Probabilities Using the Formula 50 Finding Probabilities Using the Binomial Table 52 Finding probabilities when p≤0.50 52 Finding probabilities when p>0.50 53 Finding probabilities for X greater-than, less-than, or between two values 54 The Expected Value and Variance of the Binomial 55 Chapter 5 The Normal Distribution 57 Basics of the Normal Distribution 57 The Standard Normal (Z) Distribution 58 Finding Probabilities for X 60 Finding X for a Given Probability 63 Normal Approximation to the Binomial 65 Chapter 6 Sampling Distributions and the Central Limit Theorem 67 Sampling Distributions 67 The mean of a sampling distribution 68 Standard error of a sampling distribution 69 Sample size and standard error 70 Population standard deviation and standard error 72 The shape 72 Finding Probabilities for X 74 The Sampling Distribution of the Sample Proportion 75 What proportion of students need math help? 76 Finding Probabilities for p 78 Chapter 7 Confidence Intervals 81 Making Your Best Guesstimate 81 The Goal: Small Margin of Error 83 Choosing a Confidence Level 84 Factoring in the Sample Size 85 Counting on Population Variability 87 Confidence Interval for a Population Mean 88 Confidence Interval for a Population Proportion 89 Confidence Interval for the Difference of Two Means 90 Confidence Interval for the Difference of Two Proportions 92 Interpreting Confidence Intervals 93 Spotting Misleading Confidence Intervals 96 Chapter 8 Hypothesis Tests 99 Doing a Hypothesis Test 99 Identifying what you’re testing 100 Setting up the hypotheses 100 Finding sample statistics 102 Standardizing the evidence: The test statistic 102 Weighing the evidence and making decisions: p-values 103 General steps for a hypothesis test 106 Testing One Population Mean 106 Testing One Population Proportion 108 Comparing Two Population Means 109 Testing the Mean Difference: Paired Data 111 Testing Two Population Proportions 114 You Could Be Wrong: Errors in Hypothesis Testing 116 A false alarm: Type-1 error 116 A missed detection: Type-2 error 117 Chapter 9 The t-Distribution 119 Basics of the t-Distribution 119 Understanding the t-Table 120 t-Distributions and Hypothesis Tests 121 Finding critical values 122 Finding p-values 122 t-Distributions and Confidence Intervals 123 Chapter 10 Correlation and Regression 125 Picturing the Relationship with a Scatterplot 125 Making a scatterplot 126 Interpreting a scatterplot 126 Measuring Relationships Using the Correlation 127 Calculating the correlation 127 Interpreting the correlation 129 Properties of the correlation 130 Finding the Regression Line 130 Which is X and which is Y? 131 Checking the conditions 131 Understanding the equation 131 Finding the slope 132 Finding the y-intercept 133 Interpreting the slope and y-intercept 133 Making Predictions 136 Avoid Extrapolation! 136 Correlation Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Cause-and-Effect 137 Chapter 11 Two-Way Tables 139 Organizing and Interpreting a Two-Way Table 139 Defining the outcomes 140 Setting up the rows and columns 140 Inserting the numbers 141 Finding the row, column, and grand totals 141 Finding Probabilities within a Two-Way Table 142 Figuring joint probabilities 142 Calculating marginal probabilities 143 Finding conditional probabilities 144 Checking for Independence 146 Chapter 12 A Checklist for Samples and Surveys 149 The Target Population Is Well Defined 150 The Sample Matches the Target Population 150 The Sample Is Randomly Selected 151 The Sample Size Is Large Enough 151 Nonresponse Is Minimized 152 The importance of following up 152 Anonymity versus confidentiality 153 The Survey Is of the Right Type 154 Questions Are Well Worded 154 The Timing Is Appropriate 155 Personnel Are Well Trained 155 Proper Conclusions Are Made 156 Chapter 13 A Checklist for Judging Experiments 159 Experiments versus Observational Studies 159 Criteria for a Good Experiment 160 Inspect the Sample Size 160 Small samples — small conclusions 160 Original versus final sample size 161 Examine the Subjects 161 Check for Random Assignments 162 Gauge the Placebo Effect 162 Identify Confounding Variables 163 Assess Data Quality 164 Check out the Analysis 165 Scrutinize the Conclusions 165 Overstated results 166 Ad-hoc explanations 166 Generalizing beyond the scope 166 Chapter 14 Ten Common Statistical Mistakes 167 Misleading Graphs 167 Pie charts 168 Bar graphs 168 Time charts 168 Histograms 169 Biased Data 169 No Margin of Error 170 Nonrandom Samples 170 Missing Sample Sizes 171 Misinterpreted Correlations 171 Confounding Variables 172 Botched Numbers 173 Selectively Reporting Results 173 The Almighty Anecdote 174 Appendix Tables for Reference 175 Index 183 EULA 195 Title Page ......Page 3 Copyright Page......Page 4 Table of Contents......Page 7 About This Book......Page 13 Icons Used in This Book......Page 14 Where to Go from Here......Page 15 Surveys......Page 17 Experiments......Page 18 Selecting a good sample......Page 19 Descriptive statistics......Page 20 Charts and graphs......Page 21 Making Conclusions......Page 22 Types of Data......Page 25 Counts and Percents......Page 26 Measures of Center......Page 27 Measures of Variability......Page 29 Percentiles......Page 30 Finding a percentile......Page 31 Interpreting percentiles......Page 32 The Five-Number Summary......Page 33 Pie Charts......Page 35 Bar Graphs......Page 36 Time Charts......Page 38 Making a histogram......Page 39 Interpreting a histogram......Page 41 Evaluating a histogram......Page 42 Making a boxplot......Page 43 Interpreting a boxplot......Page 44 Characteristics of a Binomial......Page 47 Non-binomial examples......Page 48 Finding Binomial Probabilities Using the Formula......Page 50 Finding probabilities when p≤0.50 ......Page 52 Finding probabilities when p>0.50 ......Page 53 Finding probabilities for X greater-than, less-than, or between two values......Page 54 The Expected Value and Variance of the Binomial......Page 55 Basics of the Normal Distribution......Page 57 The Standard Normal (Z) Distribution......Page 58 Finding Probabilities for X......Page 60 Finding X for a Given Probability......Page 63 Normal Approximation to the Binomial......Page 65 Sampling Distributions......Page 67 The mean of a sampling distribution......Page 68 Standard error of a sampling distribution......Page 69 Sample size and standard error......Page 70 The shape......Page 72 Finding Probabilities for X ......Page 74 The Sampling Distribution of the Sample Proportion......Page 75 What proportion of students need math help?......Page 76 Finding Probabilities for p ......Page 78 Making Your Best Guesstimate......Page 81 The Goal: Small Margin of Error......Page 83 Choosing a Confidence Level......Page 84 Factoring in the Sample Size......Page 85 Counting on Population Variability......Page 87 Confidence Interval for a Population Mean......Page 88 Confidence Interval for a Population Proportion......Page 89 Confidence Interval for the Difference of Two Means......Page 90 Confidence Interval for the Difference of Two Proportions......Page 92 Interpreting Confidence Intervals......Page 93 Spotting Misleading Confidence Intervals......Page 96 Doing a Hypothesis Test......Page 99 Setting up the hypotheses......Page 100 Standardizing the evidence: The test statistic......Page 102 Weighing the evidence and making decisions: p-values......Page 103 Testing One Population Mean......Page 106 Testing One Population Proportion......Page 108 Comparing Two Population Means......Page 109 Testing the Mean Difference: Paired Data......Page 111 Testing Two Population Proportions......Page 114 A false alarm: Type-1 error......Page 116 A missed detection: Type-2 error......Page 117 Basics of the t-Distribution......Page 119 Understanding the t-Table......Page 120 t-Distributions and Hypothesis Tests......Page 121 Finding p-values......Page 122 t-Distributions and Confidence Intervals......Page 123 Picturing the Relationship with a Scatterplot......Page 125 Interpreting a scatterplot......Page 126 Calculating the correlation......Page 127 Interpreting the correlation......Page 129 Finding the Regression Line......Page 130 Understanding the equation......Page 131 Finding the slope......Page 132 Interpreting the slope and y-intercept......Page 133 Avoid Extrapolation!......Page 136 Correlation Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Cause-and-Effect......Page 137 Organizing and Interpreting a Two-Way Table......Page 139 Setting up the rows and columns......Page 140 Finding the row, column, and grand totals......Page 141 Figuring joint probabilities......Page 142 Calculating marginal probabilities......Page 143 Finding conditional probabilities......Page 144 Checking for Independence......Page 146 Chapter 12 A Checklist for Samples and Surveys......Page 149 The Sample Matches the Target Population......Page 150 The Sample Size Is Large Enough......Page 151 The importance of following up......Page 152 Anonymity versus confidentiality......Page 153 Questions Are Well Worded......Page 154 Personnel Are Well Trained......Page 155 Proper Conclusions Are Made......Page 156 Experiments versus Observational Studies......Page 159 Small samples — small conclusions......Page 160 Examine the Subjects......Page 161 Gauge the Placebo Effect......Page 162 Identify Confounding Variables......Page 163 Assess Data Quality......Page 164 Scrutinize the Conclusions......Page 165 Generalizing beyond the scope......Page 166 Misleading Graphs......Page 167 Time charts......Page 168 Biased Data......Page 169 Nonrandom Samples......Page 170 Misinterpreted Correlations......Page 171 Confounding Variables......Page 172 Selectively Reporting Results......Page 173 The Almighty Anecdote......Page 174 Appendix Tables for Reference......Page 175 Index......Page 183 EULA......Page 195

Statistics Essentials For Dummies (9781119590309) was previously published as Statistics Essentials For Dummies (9780470618394). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.

Statistics Essentials For Dummies not only provides students enrolled in Statistics I with an excellent high-level overview of key concepts, but it also serves as a reference or refresher for students in upper-level statistics courses. Free of review and ramp-up material, Statistics Essentials For Dummies sticks to the point, with content focused on key course topics only. It provides discrete explanations of essential concepts taught in a typical first semester college-level statistics course, from odds and error margins to confidence intervals and conclusions. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical statistics concepts as they help high school students with homework assignments, as well as for adult learners headed back into the classroom who just need a refresher of the core concepts.

The Essentials For Dummies Series
Dummies is proud to present our new series, The Essentials For Dummies. Now students who are prepping for exams, preparing to study new material, or who just need a refresher can have a concise, easy-to-understand review guide that covers an entire course by concentrating solely on the most important concepts. From algebra and chemistry to grammar and Spanish, our expert authors focus on the skills students most need to succeed in a subject.

Statistics Essentials For Dummies (9781119590309) was previously published as Statistics Essentials For Dummies (9780470618394). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product. Statistics Essentials For Dummies not only provides students enrolled in Statistics I with an excellent high-level overview of key concepts, but it also serves as a reference or refresher for students in upper-level statistics courses. Free of review and ramp-up material, Statistics Essentials For Dummies sticks to the point, with content focused on key course topics only. It provides discrete explanations of essential concepts taught in a typical first semester college-level statistics course, from odds and error margins to confidence intervals and conclusions. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical statistics concepts as they help high school students with homework assignments, as well as for adult learners headed back into the classroom who just need a refresher of the core concepts. The Essentials For Dummies Series Dummies is proud to present our new series, The Essentials For Dummies. Now students who are prepping for exams, preparing to study new material, or who just need a refresher can have a concise, easy-to-understand review guide that covers an entire course by concentrating solely on the most important concepts. From algebra and chemistry to grammar and Spanish, our expert authors focus on the skills students most need to succeed in a subject. Each book covers all the necessary information a beginner needs to know about a particular topic, providing an index for easy reference and using the series' signature set of symbols to clue the reader in to key topics, categorized under such titles as Tip, Remember, Warning!, Technical Stuff and True Story.