Intuitive Biostatistics - Softcover

Motulsky, Harvey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195086074 ISBN 13: 9780195086072

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1995

Synopsis

This book provides a nonmathematical introduction to statistics to medical students, physicians, researchers, and graduate students in biological sciences. The goal has been to explain statistical principles in plain language so one can understand the results published in biological and medical journals. Like all statistical books, this one proves a few mathematical theorems and provides step-by-step methods for some statistical tests. But the emphasis is always on how to interpret the results, not on how to perform the tests. This book differs from other available introductory biostatistics books in several ways: 1)Broader range of topics. Leaf through current issues of major medical and scientific journals and you're sure to see articles whose conclusions are based on advanced statistical techniques not covered in most introductory books: survival curves, logistic regression, proportional hazards regression, nonlinear regression, Bayesian analysis, lod scores. Although it is impossible to discuss all these topics in depth in a short introductory book, this book explains what the tests are used for and how to interpret the results. 2)Emphasis on interpretation, not calculation. Many books devote many pages to step-by-step instructions for calculating statistical tests. This book assumes that the calculations will be done by computer, so places little emphasis on the mechanics of the calculations (and marks those sections, so they can be skipped). Instead, this book emphasizes understanding the assumptions the tests are based on and the interpretation of the results. 3)Emphasis on confidence intervals over P values. This book presents the concepts of confidence intervals before explaining P values. This makes it easier for the student to understand both.

About this title

Review

"I like this book much, I will be "beta-testing" it on my upper-level undergraduate biostatistics class. It fills a great need for my students."--Harriette Phelps, University of D.C."This splendid book meets a major need in public health, medicine, and biomedical research training--a user-friendly biostatistics text for non-mathematicians."--Gilbert S. Omenn, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan"Motulsky has written a very readable and delightful account of how statistics are used in biology and medicine...He focuses on clinical studies and covers a broad range of topics, including...such specialized areas as survival analysis, Bayesian inference, and logistic regression." --Quarterly Review of Biology"The unique aspect of the book, which makes it different from other biostatistics books, is its approach to the content...His goal is to help the reader interpret medical literature rather than analyze a set of data....I higly recommend this book for those needing a non-mathematical, explanatory introduction to biostatistics. It is well-written and provides wonderful clinical examples and biostatistical content...An excellent resource book for medical students and housestaff who are struggling along with the concepts; and for those of you who were wondering, it was surprisingly easy to read."--Joseph Chu, MD, MPH, University of Washington in Teaching and Learning Medicine "I like this book much, I will be "beta-testing" it on my upper-level undergraduate biostatistics class. It fills a great need for my students."--Harriette Phelps, University of D.C. "This splendid book meets a major need in public health, medicine, and biomedical research training--a user-friendly biostatistics text for non-mathematicians."--Gilbert S. Omenn, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan "Motulsky has written a very readable and delightful account of how statistics are used in biology and medicine...He focuses on clinical studies and covers a broad range of topics, including...such specialized areas as survival analysis, Bayesian inference, and logistic regression." --Quarterly Review of Biology "The unique aspect of the book, which makes it different from other biostatistics books, is its approach to the content...His goal is to help the reader interpret medical literature rather than analyze a set of data....I higly recommend this book for those needing a non-mathematical, explanatory introduction to biostatistics. It is well-written and provides wonderful clinical examples and biostatistical content...An excellent resource book for medical students and housestaff who are struggling along with the concepts; and for those of you who were wondering, it was surprisingly easy to read."--Joseph Chu, MD, MPH, University of Washington in Teaching and Learning Medicine "I like this book much, I will be "beta-testing" it on my upper-level undergraduate biostatistics class. It fills a great need for my students."--Harriette Phelps, University of D.C. "This splendid book meets a major need in public health, medicine, and biomedical research training--a user-friendly biostatistics text for non-mathematicians."--Gilbert S. Omenn, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan "Motulsky has written a very readable and delightful account of how statistics are used in biology and medicine...He focuses on clinical studies and covers a broad range of topics, including...such specialized areas as survival analysis, Bayesian inference, and logistic regression." --Quarterly Review of Biology "The unique aspect of the book, which makes it different from other biostatistics books, is its approach to the content...His goal is to help the reader interpret medical literature rather than analyze a set of data....I higly recommend this book for those needing a non-mathematical, explanatory introduction to biostatistics. It is well-written and provides wonderful clinical examples and biostatistical content...An excellent resource book for medical students and housestaff who are struggling along with the concepts; and for those of you who were wondering, it was surprisingly easy to read."--Joseph Chu, MD, MPH, University of Washington in Teaching and Learning Medicine "I like this book much, I will be "beta-testing" it on my upper-level undergraduate biostatistics class. It fills a great need for my students."--Harriette Phelps, University of D.C."This splendid book meets a major need in public health, medicine, and biomedical research training--a user-friendly biostatistics text for non-mathematicians."--Gilbert S. Omenn, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan"Motulsky has written a very readable and delightful account of how statistics are used in biology and medicine...He focuses on clinical studies and covers a broad range of topics, including...such specialized areas as survival analysis, Bayesian inference, and logistic regression." --QuarterlyReview of Biology"The unique aspect of the book, which makes it different from other biostatistics books, is its approach to the content...His goal is to help the reader interpret medical literature rather than analyze a set of data....I higly recommend this book for those needing a non-mathematical, explanatoryintroduction to biostatistics. It is well-written and provides wonderful clinical examples and biostatistical content...An excellent resource book for medical students and housestaff who are struggling along with the concepts; and for those of you who were wondering, it was surprisingly easy toread."--Joseph Chu, MD, MPH, University of Washington in Teaching and Learning Medicine

Synopsis

This book provides a nonmathematical introduction to statistics to medical students, physicians, researchers, and graduate students in biological sciences. The goal has been to explain statistical principles in plain language so one can understand the results published in biological and medical journals. Like all statistical books, this one proves a few mathematical theorems and provides step-by-step methods for some statistical tests. But the emphasis is always on how to interpret the results, not on how to perform the tests. This book differs from other available introductory biostatistics books in several ways: 1)Broader range of topics. Leaf through current issues of major medical and scientific journals and you're sure to see articles whose conclusions are based on advanced statistical techniques not covered in most introductory books: survival curves, logistic regression, proportional hazards regression, nonlinear regression, Bayesian analysis, lod scores. Although it is impossible to discuss all these topics in depth in a short introductory book, this book explains what the tests are used for and how to interpret the results.2

)Emphasis on interpretation, not calculation. Many books devote many pages to step-by-step instructions for calculating statistical tests. This book assumes that the calculations will be done by computer, so places little emphasis on the mechanics of the calculations (and marks those sections, so they can be skipped). Instead, this book emphasizes understanding the assumptions the tests are based on and the interpretation of the results. 3)Emphasis on confidence intervals over P values. This book presents the concepts of confidence intervals before explaining P values. This makes it easier for the student to understand both.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195086074
• ISBN 13: 9780195086072
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 386