Statistics: a very short introduction

137 Pages·2008·0.847 MB·English

by  Hand, D. J

Statistics:AVeryShortIntroduction
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DavidJ.Hand
Statistics
A Very Short Introduction
1
1
GreatClarendonStreet,OxfordOX26DP
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(cid:2)c DavidJ.Hand2008
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DatabaserightOxfordUniversityPress(maker)
FirstPublished2008
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ISBN978–0–19–923356–4
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
TypesetbySPIPublisherServices,Pondicherry,India
PrintedinGreatBritainby
AshfordColourPressLtd,Gosport,Hampshire
Contents
Preface ix
Listofillustrations xi
1 Surroundedbystatistics 1
2 Simpledescriptions 21
3 Collectinggooddata 36
4 Probability 55
5 Estimationandinference 75
6 Statisticalmodelsandmethods 92
7 Statisticalcomputing 110
Furtherreading 115
Endnote 117
Index 119
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Preface
Statisticalideasandmethodsunderliejustabouteveryaspectof
modernlife.Sometimestheroleofstatisticsisobvious,butoften
thestatisticalideasandtoolsarehiddeninthebackground.In
eithercase,becauseoftheubiquityofstatisticalideas,itisclearly
extremelyusefultohavesomeunderstandingofthem.Theaimof
thisbookistoprovidesuchunderstanding.
Statisticssuffersfromanunfortunatebutfundamental
misconceptionwhichmisleadspeopleaboutitsessentialnature.
Thismistakenbeliefisthatitrequiresextensivetediousarithmetic
manipulation,andthat,asaconsequence,itisadryanddusty
discipline,devoidofimagination,creativity,orexcitement.But
thisisacompletelyfalseimageofthemoderndisciplineof
statistics.Itisanimagebasedonaperceptiondatingfrommore
thanhalfacenturyago.Inparticular,itentirelyignoresthefact
thatthecomputerhastransformedthediscipline,changingit
fromonehingingaroundarithmetictoonebasedontheuseof
advancedsoftwaretoolstoprobedatainasearchfor
understandingandenlightenment.Thatiswhatthemodern
disciplineisallabout:theuseoftoolstoaidperceptionand
providewaystoshedlight,routestounderstanding,instruments
formonitoringandguiding,andsystemstoassistdecision-making.
Allofthese,andmore,areaspectsofthemoderndiscipline.