Statistics For Biologists

“We highly recommend it—not just for statistically terrified biology students and faculty, but also for those who are occasionally anxious or uncertain. In addition to being a good starting point to learn statistics, it is a useful place to return to refresh your memory.” –The Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2009 "During the entire course of my Ph.D. I've been (embarrasingly) looking for a way to teach myself the fundamentals of statistical analysis. At this point in my education, I've come to realize that often times, simply knowing the basics is enough for you to properly apply even the most complex analytical methods. ‘Statistics for Terrified Biologists’ has been just such a book - it was more than worth the $40 I spent on it, and while my 'book clubs' aren't meant to be reviews, I highly recommend the book to anyone who's in a similar predicament to my own." –Carlo Artieri's Blog Book Club The typical biology student is “hardwired” to be wary of any tasks involving the application of mathematics and statistical analyses, but the plain fact is much of biology requires interpretation of experimental data through the use of statistical methods. This unique textbook aims to demystify statistical formulae for the average biology student. Written in a lively and engaging style, Statistics for Terrified Biologists draws on the author’s 30 years of lecturing experience. One of the foremost entomologists of his generation, van Emden has an extensive track record for successfully teaching statistical methods to even the most guarded of biology students. For the first time basic methods are presented using straightforward, jargon-free language. Students are taught to use simple formulae accurately to interpret what is being measured with each test and statistic, while at the same time learning to recognize overall patterns and guiding principles. Complemented by simple illustrations and useful case studies, this is an ideal statistics resource tool for undergraduate biology and environmental science students who lack confidence in their mathematical abilities.

Makes mathematical and statistical analysis understandable to even the least math-minded biology student This unique textbook aims to demystify statistical formulae for the average biology student. Written in a lively and engaging style, Statistics for Terrified Biologists, 2nd Edition draws on the author’s 30 years of lecturing experience to teach statistical methods to even the most guarded of biology students. It presents basic methods using straightforward, jargon-free language. Students are taught to use simple formulae and how to interpret what is being measured with each test and statistic, while at the same time learning to recognize overall patterns and guiding principles. Complemented by simple examples and useful case studies, this is an ideal statistics resource tool for undergraduate biology and environmental science students who lack confidence in their mathematical abilities. Statistics for Terrified Biologists presents readers with the basic foundations of parametric statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, linear regression and chi-square, and guides them to important extensions of these techniques. It introduces them to non-parametric tests, and includes a checklist of non-parametric methods linked to their parametric counterparts. The book also provides many end-of-chapter summaries and additional exercises to help readers understand and practice what they’ve learned. Presented in a clear and easy-to-understand style Makes statistics tangible and enjoyable for even the most hesitant student Features multiple formulas to facilitate comprehension Written by of the foremost entomologists of his generation This second edition of Statistics for Terrified Biologists is an invaluable guide that will be of great benefit to pre-health and biology undergraduate students.

Provides an excellent introductory text for students on the principles and methods of statistical analysis in the life sciences, helping them choose and analyse statistical tests for their own problems and present their findings. An understanding of statistical principles and methods is essential for any scientist but is particularly important for those in the life sciences. The field biologist faces very particular problems and challenges with statistics as "real-life" situations such as collecting insects with a sweep net or counting seagulls on a cliff face can hardly be expected to be as reliable or controllable as a laboratory-based experiment. Acknowledging the peculiarites of field-based data and its interpretation, this book provides a superb introduction to statistical analysis helping students relate to their particular and often diverse data with confidence and ease. To enhance the usefulness of this book, the new edition incorporates the more advanced method of multivariate analysis, introducing the nature of multivariate problems and describing the the techniques of principal components analysis, cluster analysis and discriminant analysis which are all applied to biological examples. An appendix detailing the statistical computing packages available has also been included. It will be extremely useful to undergraduates studying ecology, biology, and earth and environmental sciences and of interest to postgraduates who are not familiar with the application of multiavirate techniques and practising field biologists working in these areas.

This introductory text presents the use of statistical methods as an integral part of biological investigation, yet one whose superficial complexities have deterred many biologists from using them. The author argues that the difficulties, such as they are, do not lie in mathematical manipulation, but in grasping a few simple, but unfamiliar concepts. He emphasizes the need for precisely defining problems and for careful selection of the most appropriate methods - a wide range of which are described and illustrated. Each chapter ends with a set of problems which are intended to help the student gain practical experience. No previous knowledge is assumed, and the student is encouraged to develop a competent and critical approach to analysing numerical data. In this second edition, the scope of the book has been extended, problems have been solved in a more satisfactory way, and a greater number of illustrative examples have been added.

Full of biological applications, exercises, and interactive graphical examples, Foundational and Applied Statistics for Biologists Using R presents comprehensive coverage of both modern analytical methods and statistical foundations. The author harnesses the inherent properties of the R environment to enable students to examine the code of complica

Regression, analysis of variance, correlation, graphical.