Statistical Persuasion
How to Collect, Analyze, and Present Data...Accurately, Honestly, and Persuasively
- Robert W. Pearson - University of Pennsylvania, USA
Key Features
· Combines a concern for the design, collection, measurement, and the management of data with its analysis and presentation
· Provides examples and data concerning real world problems in education, crime, government performance, and other policy arenas
· Clearly demonstrates the steps used to generate the appropriate statistics and graphs in Excel and SPSS and then provides exercises to replicate and elaborate on these examples
This book and its supporting materials are ideally suited for graduate students in professional degree programs in public policy, education, social work, criminology, urban planning, and related schools as well as advanced undergraduates in these fields. The book's explanations, descriptions, illustrations, and step-by-step exercises create the skills and knowledge required of a policy analyst, advisor, consultant or the elected or appointed public official or nonprofit officer who wants to be better able to interpret and evaluate others' applied social research. Its data sets, solutions sets, instructors' manual, lecture slides, and student workbook provide instructors with a complete and fully integrated instructional package.
“I am very impressed with Statistical Persuasion, by Dr. Robert W. Pearson. The textbook includes the technical and mathematical knowledge students need to understand basic statistics, and it also includes an integration of these elements within the important framework of research design. The combination of the textbook and ancillary support materials is a complete package.”
"Statistical Persuasion will serve well those who are looking for a practical and pragmatic approach to using and interpreting statistics for applied purposes. This book would best serve as a text for a capstone course in statistics where the focus is on the presentation and consumption of statistical outcomes. It does an excellent job convincing the reader of the importance of designing a study tailored to the needs of a social science question so that the resulting findings can meaningfully answer the question."
Although an excellent and interesting read, the book was not suitable for the module I teach on. Excellent read though!
Pretty decent coverage of key statistical concepts
I did not adopt this but recommend it to everyone that I talk ot and all of my students. This is a wonderful book.
While the book lacks considerable detail on the numeric details involved with both descriptive and inferential statistics, it does do a good job on data collection and the presentation of results.
Not assigned to teach course
The book is probably too intimidating to adotpted as an essential read for undergraduates. However it persuasively argues for the appropriate use of statistical tools within research. It would be useful to include more on liklihood ratios and a more comprehensive index.
Not appropriate for the class in mind
Readability, comprehensive, Online content, data sets, use of Excel and SPSS.
