The Statistical Imagination - Hardcover

Ritchey PhD, Ferris J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0072943041 ISBN 13: 9780072943047

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., 2007

Synopsis

"The Statistical Imagination", a basic social science statistics text with illustrations and exercises for sociology, social work, political science, and criminal justice courses, teaches readers that statistics is not just a mathematical exercise; it is a way of analyzing and understanding the social world. Praised for a writing style that takes the anxiety out of statistics courses, the author explains basic statistical principles through a variety of engaging exercises, each designed to illuminate the unique theme of examining society both creatively and logically. In an effort to make the study of statistics relevant to students of the social sciences, the author encourages readers to interpret the results of calculations in the context of more substantive social issues, while continuing to value precise and accurate research. Ritchey begins by introducing students to the essentials of learning statistics; fractions, proportions, percentages, standard deviation, sampling error and sampling distribution, along with other math hurdles, are clearly explained to fill in any math gaps students may bring to the classroom. Treating statistics as a skill learned best by doing, the author supplies a range of student-friendly questions and exercises to both demystify the calculation process, and to encourage the kind of proportional thinking needed to master the subject. Web site supplements for the instructor, including an Instructor's Manual, extensive Test Bank, and a Solutions Manual with complete keys to all chapter exercises, provide a turnkey package for effectively teaching undergraduate statistics. "The Statistical Imagination" includes computer-based assignments with over 10 data sets for use with the free Student Version SPSS 14.0 CD-ROM that accompanies each new copy of the book.

About this title

About the Author:

Ferris J. Ritchey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has been teaching undergraduate and graduate statistics courses for over 20 years. He has published in leading journals in the field including the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Medical Care, and the American Journal of Public Health, and has consulted and/or served on panels with the center for Disease Control, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the National Institutes of Mental Health. Professor Ritchey was the School of Social Sciences recipient of the 1995 President's Award for Excellence in Teaching at University of Alabama.

About this edition

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0072943041
• ISBN 13: 9780072943047
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 656