Making Sense Of Data And Statistics In Psychology

Statistics is one of the most useful elements of any psychology degree. This popular textbook will equip you with the tools needed not only to make sense of your own data and research, but also to think critically about the research and statistics you will encounter in everyday life. Features include: - Logical, intuitive organization of key statistical concepts and tests with an emphasis on understanding which test to use and why - Innovative graphic illustrations and insightful dialogues that help you to get to grips with statistics - Concise, easy-to-follow guidelines for making sense of SPSS - COverage of more complex tests and concepts for when you need to dig deeper Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology will help you design experiments, analyse data with confidence and establish a solid grounding in statistics; it will become a valuable resource throughout your studies. Companion Site: www.palgrave.com/psychology/mulhern2e An innovative and easy-to-read introduction to understanding statistical concepts and data in Psychology, written with even the most maths-averse Psychology student in mind. Authored by the current president of the BPS (British Psychological Society), this second edition includes guidance for SPSS and extended statistical coverage to bridge the gap between conceptual understanding of data and how to run statistical tests. Confronts the challenge of teaching statistics The material is structured so that the reader revisits ideas at increasing levels of sophistication, building on their existing knowledge in order to develop their understanding of statistics. This book, grounded in the authors' research into the way students learn maths and statistics, provides a 'way in' to statistics for all Psychology undergraduates, from those who have studied Maths to A Level to those who find their statistics courses to be the most daunting of their university years. The authors emphasise the importance of developing a 'feel' for data, particularly through visual representation, before statistical tests are discussed in detail. Making extensive use of exploratory data analysis, the text emphasises conceptual understanding. Concepts are introduced and clearly explained, enabling the student to understand the foundations of data analysis in interpreting psychological research. There is an abundant use of examples from psychological research throughout, helping students to get to grips with different forms of data. Flexible approach Can easily be integrated into 'standard courses', but also used to support more mathematicallyorientated courses. Reinforces understanding Avoids the jargon that makes statistics so inaccessible to many Psychology students. Pedagogical features include Socratic dialogues between statisticsaverse students and their lecturers; 'Making Links' boxes to help students see the connections between basic and more complex tests; and innovative comprehension check boxes which encourage students to stop and think before reading on. A new feature, 'Making sense of SPSS', links this conceptual comprehension to the way students mostly carry out their statistical tests. Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology ensures that students have a firm basis in the use of statistics that will serve them for life, not just for the duration of their statistics course.

Tailored to meet the needs of the psychologist, this book provides an account of many of the more advanced statistical techniques useful in the analysis of data collected in psychological investigations.

This book is intended for psychology majors and graduate students who are conducting experiments for the first time and are faced with the task of making sense out of their data. This much needed "how-to-do-it" text illustrates the application of statistical methods to the data from small samples. It also serves as a handbook, with twenty-two tables presented at the end of the text that will allow the student to carry out virtually every computation necessary in analyzing his data. Almost all of the examples and illustrations are drawn from actual experiments so that the student can see how professional scientists examine their data. The book also shows students the kinds of data that are encountered in psychological research, the kinds of questions investigators seek to answer, and how these questions are approached. The author asserts that statistics is not an abstract discipline but a tool in research. However, the book also imparts a philosophy of data analysis and its meaning, a concern for questions of the function of data analysis and the interpretations that legitimately can be drawn from data. In brief, Data Analysis asks: What kinds of data are met in psychological research? What can we do with these data? What can we conclude as a result of this doing? The book will be invaluable for students who, even though they may have taken a previous statistics course, are still unsure of what statistical techniques should be used in interpreting their data.

A short introduction to the subject, this text is aimed at students & practitioners in the behavioural & social sciences. It offers a conceptual overview of the foundations of MDA & of a range of specific techniques including multiple regression, logistic regression & log-linear analysis.

* An overview of descriptive and inferential statistics without formulas and computations. * Clear and to-the-point narrative makes this short book perfect for all courses in which statistics are discussed. * Helps statistics students who are struggling with the concepts. Shows them the meanings of the statistics they are computing. * This book is easy to digest because it is divided into short sections with review questions at the end of each section. * Running sidebars draw students' attention to important concepts.

Experimental Design and Statistics for Psychology: A First Course is a concise, straighforward and accessible introduction to the design of psychology experiments and the statistical tests used to make sense of their results. Makes abundant use of charts, diagrams and figures. Assumes no prior knowledge of statistics. Invaluable to all psychology students needing a firm grasp of the basics, but tackling of some of the topic’s more complex, controversial issues will also fire the imagination of more ambitious students. Covers different aspects of experimental design, including dependent versus independent variables, levels of treatment, experimental control, random versus systematic errors, and within versus between subjects design. Provides detailed instructions on how to perform statistical tests with SPSS. Downloadable instructor resources to supplement and support your lectures can be found at www.blackwellpublishing.com/sani and include sample chapters, test questions, SPSS data sets, and figures and tables from the book.