Antonio Curtis

Early Statistics Fundamentals Antonio Curtis

This text provides a different approach to a first course in Statistics. The most essential topics are explored in depth, with detailed explanations of examples. The goal is to prepare students for upper division courses in which Statistics will be used so that they walk into those courses ready to grasp the new material. Probability is discussed minimally, solely for the purpose of enabling students to use Statistics. Students with only an algebra background and no science background can absorb and benefit from this book. The entire text can realistically be thoroughly covered in a one semester or one quarter course. After learning the material in this text, students will be able to assess a research situation, understand the correct statistical method to use for that situation, and then completely understand the real world meaning of the results obtained from using the procedure. There is variety in the way problems are worded so that students do not figure out what to do based on memorizing patterns in problem structure. "Extra information" is routinely included in problems so students need to think critically. Both by-hand and computer-based problems are presented so students gain an appreciation for how the statistical methods work, and can also interpret the output of technology-based statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics are considered, including one- and two-factor ANOVA as well as the chi-square tests for Goodness of Fit and Independence. At the end of confidence interval and hypothesis test chapters there is a section containing mixtures of various types of problems so students need to figure out how to handle problems without the usual context clue of similar problems being grouped together. The text contains a balance of theory and practice, with indications of how the current material leads to upper division studies. An earnest effort is made to get students excited about Statistics, not simply to pass their Statistics class.