Statistics Without Tears: A Primer for Non-Mathematicians (Allyn & Bacon Classics Edition),   ISBN:9780205395095

Customer Rating: 

This older "edition" is word for word the same as the newest "classic edition". There is a reason they called it "classic". There is an earlier print date that is also the same. Save your money. Get an early print date.

Customer Rating: 

I had to read this book for a statistics class I'm taking and it was the most painful experience I've ever had while reading a book. Most of the time it felt like I was reading, "blah blah blah blah blah." No there weren't tears, but I was definitely yawning throughout the whole thing. In fact, I woke up in the middle of the night recently and couldn't get back to sleep so I picked up this book and started reading. It worked great in helping me get back to sleep. This book is NOT for the average, normal person. It's pretty much for Derek Rowntree alone. He's the only one who would really find the things he's written of interest. He makes statistics a bore and I normally love math. DON'T get this book and if you're a professor/instructor PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't make your students read it. Unless of course you pride yourself on being the most hated professor...in which case assigning this book should do the trick!

Customer Rating: 

I can't understand the negative reviews. I majored in mathematics and have read multiple books on statistics and found them frustrating. This book wonderfully outlines the "big ideas" and what is trying to be accomplished. This allows you to venture into other books to figure out the details. I guess if you already understand how a normal curve is arrived at and how sample populations would be used and compared to the normal curve, and how the mean sample tend towards the normal distribution and how error is determined, then this book isn't for you. Otherwise it's a superb introductory text.

Customer Rating: 

I have recommended this book to college students who:

* have always had problems with math, and have to take a stats course.

* had stats years ago in high school or college, and now have to take another course with the elementary course as a prerequisite.

* want to be able to explain the concepts better to others.

* took a class, but are not sure what they really know.

Rowntree, in addition to explaining the basics, has short assignments that he asks the reader to complete before proceeding on in the chapter (use a 3x5 card to cover the answer while figuring out the problem). It is a nice and effective technique for this book.

Effective, helpful, inexpensive (there are plenty of copies around for under $10), in many libraries, and readable. Try it!

Customer Rating: 

This book helps to understand relevant statistics concepts in an easy way. The book is written in a direct way, and let you progress step by step learning additional concepts without stress. Also the questions that are made within each chapter let you realize if you have really understand the previous ideas and if you should go into the next paragraphs or chapters.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be introduced into statistics.