Discovering Statistics Using R Author: Andy Field Jeremy Miles Zoe Field | Language: English | ISBN:
1446200469 | Format: PDF
Discovering Statistics Using R Description
The R version of Andy Field's hugely popular Discovering Statistics Using SPSS takes students on a journey of statistical discovery using the freeware R. Like its sister textbook, Discovering Statistics Using R is written in an irreverent style and follows the same ground-breaking structure and pedagogical approach. The core material is enhanced by a cast of characters to help the reader on their way, hundreds of examples, self-assessment tests to consolidate knowledge, and additional website material for those wanting to learn more.
- Paperback: 992 pages
- Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd; 1 edition (March 31, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1446200469
- ISBN-13: 978-1446200469
- Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.6 x 1.6 inches
- Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Being familiar with the author's SPSS book and wanting to learn R, I leapt at the chance to purchase this book. As I write this, I've been able to go through all the chapters save the last two. The book is a great overview of statistics concepts and provides a gentle, yet comprehensive, introduction to the R language. I'm extremely pleased I bought it.
The author's writing style is conversational and humorous, and some of his examples are outrageous (I didn't know whether to laugh or cry during the logistic regression chapter!). I think this would make the material more accessible to students who are ambivalent about statistics and R. However, though the material is presented in an easy-going manner, it is nevertheless quite comprehensive. The essence of each statistical method is discussed thoroughly, and the procedures for doing these tests in R are clearly detailed in a step by step manner.
What I liked most about the book were the problems at the end of each chapter and the detailed solutions to those problems on the book's accompanying website. I found these excellent for self-study.
To be clear, the book is not the most technical treatise on either statistics or R. The book gives a good overview of the concepts of each statistical method, but computation is kept to a minimum. Similarly, while the book describes how to create functions in R and has several challenging examples, you will only scratch the surface of what R can do. It seems intended primarily for non-mathematics undergraduate students who aspire to doing research in their fields. However, for someone like me who wanted a context in which to become familiar with R, it is invaluable.
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