Designed specifically for those who are learning or using statistics for the first time, this text pays relatively little attention to unnecessary formulas while providing a basic overview of basic designs and analyses through real-world examples. Updating his text to include new information, particularly on ANOVA and confidence levels and limits, Coolidge (mathematics, U. of Colorado, Colorado Springs) actually is quite gentle, introducing undergraduates to the basics--what a statistician does, essential questions of any survey or study, types of measurements scales, and symbols--and then discussing descriptive statistics and the distribution of numbers. He works through statistical parameters in terms of the measures of central tendency and variation, standard scores, the z distribution, hypothesis testing, inferential statistics, including baloney detection, correlation and regression, the t test for independent and dependent groups, analysis of variance for a variety of situations, functional analysis of variance, nonparametric statistics and other statistical parameters and tests. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less