How to use statistics / Steve Lakin.

Cover -- How to use Statistics -- Contents -- Preface and acknowledgements -- How to use this book -- A note on mathematics, rounding, calculators and computer software -- Introductory statistics -- Introduction to statistics and data -- Presentation of data -- Averages -- Cumulative frequencies and percentiles -- Measures of dispersion -- Working with frequency distributions -- Essential mathematics -- Factorials, permutations and combinations -- Sigma notation -- Correlation and regression -- Correlation -- Linear regression -- Probability -- An introduction to probability -- Multiple probabilities -- Probability trees -- Expected values and decision criteria -- Conditional probability -- Probability distributions -- Introduction to probability distributions -- The Poisson distribution -- The normal distribution -- The binomial distribution -- Hypothesis testing -- Introduction to hypothesis testing -- z-tests -- t-tests -- X2-tests -- Statistical tables -- Table A The normal distribution N(0,1) -- Table B Critical values and confidence limits for the z-test -- Table C1 The one-tailed t-test -- Table C2 The two-tailed t-test -- Table D Critical values for the X2 distribution -- Table E1 Critical values for the F-test (5%) -- Table E2 Critical values for the F-test (1%) -- Summary, glossary and appendices -- Summary and further work -- Glossary -- Appendix 1 'Use of a calculator' test -- Appendix 2 The Greek alphabet -- Appendix 3 Some useful Excel commands -- Solutions to exercises.

Statistics is arguably the main means through which maths appears in non-maths courses. De-mystifying the basics for even the most maths-terrified of students, this book will inspire confident and accurate use of statistics for non-maths courses.

This guide identifies and addresses the areas where most students need help with basic statistics problems that occur in everyday life and academic study and provides straightsfoward, practical tips and solutions that will enable you to assess and then improve your performance. Topics that are covered are: 1. how to research, analyse, and present your data effectively 2. how to feel more confident understanding and using distributions, confidence limits & probability effectively 3. how to present statistical data clearly in your research, using graphs & charts 4. how to conquer any fears of statistics and understand its importance and relevance to your study and everyday life