Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology

Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology PDF Author: Gerry Mulhern
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0230357997
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
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.

Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology

Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology PDF Author: Gerry Mulhern
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0230357997
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 320

Get Book Here

Book Description
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.

Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology

Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology PDF Author: Brian Greer
Publisher: Palgrave
ISBN: 9780333629697
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
Making Sense of Data and Statistics in Psychology confronts the pedagogic challenge of teaching statistics to students in psychology and related disciplines. Recognising the heterogeneous nature of students' mathematical backgrounds and motivations, the authors adopt an innovative approach while ensuring ready integration into orthodox undergraduate statistics courses at introductory and post-introductory levels. Before being introduced to formal statistics, students are encouraged to develop a 'feel' for data, particularly through visual representation. Making extensive use of exploratory data analysis (EDA), the text emphasises conceptual rather than technical or procedural understanding.

Interpreting and Using Statistics in Psychological Research

Interpreting and Using Statistics in Psychological Research PDF Author: Andrew N. Christopher
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 150630415X
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 585

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Book Description
This practical, conceptual introduction to statistical analysis by award-winning teacher Andrew N. Christopher uses published research with inherently interesting social sciences content to help students make clear connections between statistics and real life. Using a friendly, easy-to-understand presentation, Christopher walks students through the hand calculations of key statistical tools and provides step-by-step instructions on how to run the appropriate analyses for each type of statistic in SPSS and how to interpret the output. With the premise that a conceptual grasp of statistical techniques is critical for students to truly understand why they are doing what they are doing, the author avoids overly formulaic jargon and instead focuses on when and how to use statistical techniques appropriately.

Psychology Statistics For Dummies

Psychology Statistics For Dummies PDF Author: Donncha Hanna
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119952875
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 471

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Book Description
The introduction to statistics that psychology students can't afford to be without Understanding statistics is a requirement for obtaining and making the most of a degree in psychology, a fact of life that often takes first year psychology students by surprise. Filled with jargon-free explanations and real-life examples, Psychology Statistics For Dummies makes the often-confusing world of statistics a lot less baffling, and provides you with the step-by-step instructions necessary for carrying out data analysis. Psychology Statistics For Dummies: Serves as an easily accessible supplement to doorstop-sized psychology textbooks Provides psychology students with psychology-specific statistics instruction Includes clear explanations and instruction on performing statistical analysis Teaches students how to analyze their data with SPSS, the most widely used statistical packages among students

Making Sense of People

Making Sense of People PDF Author: Samuel Barondes
Publisher: FT Press
ISBN: 0132172879
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Book Description
Every day, we evaluate the people around us: It's one of the most important things we ever do. Making Sense of People provides the scientific frameworks and tools we need to improve our intuition, and assess people more consciously, systematically, and effectively. Leading neuroscientist Samuel H. Barondes explains the research behind each standard personality category: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. He shows readers how to use these traits and assessments to do a better job of deciding who they'll enjoy spending time with, whom to trust, and whom to keep at a distance. Barondes explains: What neuroscience and psychological research can tell us about how personality types develop and cohere. The intertwined roles of genes, nurture, and education in personality development. How to recognize troublesome personality patterns such as narcissism, sociopathy, and paranoia. How much a child's behavior predicts their adult personality, and how personality stabilizes in young adulthood. How to assess integrity, fairness, wisdom, and other traits related to morality. What genetic testing may (or may not) teach us about personality in the future. General strategies for getting along with people, with specific tactics for special circumstances. Kirkus Reviews A succinct look at personality psychology. As a psychiatrist and neuroscientist at the University of California, Barondes (Molecules and Mental Illness, 2007, etc.) has spent years studying human behavior, and this book reflects his systematic, scientific approach for personality assessment. The average person isn't likely to have time to research a difficult boss or potential love interest, but the author supplements intuition with a useful cornerstone for gauging human behavior: a table of the "Big Five" personality traits, among them Extraversion vs. Introversion and Agreeableness vs. Antagonism. To learn how to apply the Big Five, Barondes supplies a link for a professional online personality test, in addition to a basic introduction of troubling personality patterns–e.g., narcissism and compulsiveness. While genetics may play a heavy hand in influencing personality, Barondes writes, it's awareness of a person's background, character and life story that is paramount in unearthing reasons for adult behavior. Readers might like to see the author weave more everyday examples into the text–his exercise in fostering compassion by imagining an adult as a 10-year-old child is a gem–but there is plenty here to ponder. Those looking for traditional "self-help" advice won't find it here, but this book clearly lays the groundwork for deeper human interaction and better life relationships.

The Data Detective

The Data Detective PDF Author: Tim Harford
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593084675
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
From “one of the great (greatest?) contemporary popular writers on economics” (Tyler Cowen) comes a smart, lively, and encouraging rethinking of how to use statistics. Today we think statistics are the enemy, numbers used to mislead and confuse us. That’s a mistake, Tim Harford says in The Data Detective. We shouldn’t be suspicious of statistics—we need to understand what they mean and how they can improve our lives: they are, at heart, human behavior seen through the prism of numbers and are often “the only way of grasping much of what is going on around us.” If we can toss aside our fears and learn to approach them clearly—understanding how our own preconceptions lead us astray—statistics can point to ways we can live better and work smarter. As “perhaps the best popular economics writer in the world” (New Statesman), Tim Harford is an expert at taking complicated ideas and untangling them for millions of readers. In The Data Detective, he uses new research in science and psychology to set out ten strategies for using statistics to erase our biases and replace them with new ideas that use virtues like patience, curiosity, and good sense to better understand ourselves and the world. As a result, The Data Detective is a big-idea book about statistics and human behavior that is fresh, unexpected, and insightful.

Social Work Research

Social Work Research PDF Author: Heather D'Cruz
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1412931800
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 203

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Book Description
`This is a very useful introductory text...it is well structured, has a very accessible style, and guides students through exercises that are relevant and appropriate. The book is unique in that it goes beyond general textbooks and I will be very happy to recommend it to my students' - Beth Humphries, Reader in Social Work, Lancaster University The role of research in social work has become increasingly critical and relevant to training and practice. Social Work Research has been designed to address this and to demonstrate the importance of research for improving social work practice. Written in an engaging and accessible style, the book explains the links between practice, knowledge and research. It succeeds in bridging the gap between theory and reality by discussing a range of research paradigms and placing them in the context of professional social work. It also goes beyond other textbooks to discuss the political and ethical contexts that are intrinsic to social work practice. Other key features of the book include: · Fulfills QAA benchmarks in social work training - social work research is a required topic on undergraduate degrees. · Addresses topical issues such as the need for evidence-based practice and an awareness of ethics. · International in scope - draws upon international literature · Grounded in 'real-life' research through case studies · User-friendly and student-focused, it includes student exercises and further reading sections. Social Work Research will prove an invaluable resource for students, researchers and trainees undertaking research in social work.

Experimental Design and Statistics for Psychology

Experimental Design and Statistics for Psychology PDF Author: Fabio Sani
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1405150386
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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Book Description
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.

Learning Statistics with R

Learning Statistics with R PDF Author: Daniel Navarro
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1326189727
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 617

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Book Description
"Learning Statistics with R" covers the contents of an introductory statistics class, as typically taught to undergraduate psychology students, focusing on the use of the R statistical software and adopting a light, conversational style throughout. The book discusses how to get started in R, and gives an introduction to data manipulation and writing scripts. From a statistical perspective, the book discusses descriptive statistics and graphing first, followed by chapters on probability theory, sampling and estimation, and null hypothesis testing. After introducing the theory, the book covers the analysis of contingency tables, t-tests, ANOVAs and regression. Bayesian statistics are covered at the end of the book. For more information (and the opportunity to check the book out before you buy!) visit http://ua.edu.au/ccs/teaching/lsr or http://learningstatisticswithr.com

Making Sense of Data and Information

Making Sense of Data and Information PDF Author: Elearn
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113638667X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 120

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Book Description
Managers need to be able to make sense of data and to use it selectively to answer key questions: Why has quality fallen in the last week? Should we subcontract or employ more people? What will consumer demand be in the future? They need to be able to assess the value of data and to detect what is and what isn’t spin. The focus is on analysing numbers. On their own, figures tell us very little. To become meaningful they need to be processed and analysed and it is the patterns that emerge from this that provide the information that is needed for decision-making. The book is arranged in four themes. It starts by considering the value of information in organisations and by assessing how effectively the information is used in a management role. It then goes on to look at different options for presenting figures so that trends become clearer and patterns simpler to spot. As well as making data easier to interpret, the techniques the book presents are valuable communication tools that will help the reader use information more effectively with others. The last two themes then provide a toolkit of techniques that you can use to investigate situations and help solve problems. These include statistical and operational techniques as well as computer tools. Like any toolkit, the key to using it properly lies in knowing not only what each tool does but when to use it. This book will help the reader to develop this ability by applying the methods that are described within a business context.