Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences

by Alan Agresti

Ideal for social science majors, Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences applies statistical methods to the social sciences and makes methods more accessible with an emphasis on concepts. It highlights applications throughout, assuming no previous knowledge of statistics and only a minimal mathematical background. It contains sufficient material for a 2-semester course.

The 5th Edition uses examples and exercises with a variety of real data. It includes more illustrations of statistical software for computations and takes advantage of the outstanding applets to explain key concepts, such as sampling distributions and conducting basic data analyses. It continues to downplay mathematics while avoiding an overly simplistic, recipe-based approach to statistics.

Genres: Sociology, Textbooks, Nonfiction, School, Science, Academic, Mathematics

609 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

I may not have read every page, but I am most certainly finished.

[Teniell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best introductory stats book that I have read. Clear with many examples to make sure that you understand every step and the purpose behind each statistical test. An excellent text.

[Cade · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rate this one star not because the information is bad or it's a bad textbook. It got 1 star because I hate statistics with a purple and blue passion, and I cannot separate this from my rating. Sorry. But if you have to learn doctoral level social science stats, this isn't a bad choice.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Naturally, I read this for a class. I didn't fully finish, left off 2-3 chapters in the end. The way this book is written makes some of the concepts a bit challenging to grasp. I found myself frequently asking "who writes sentences like that?". However, the diagrams, organization(kind of), and pullout boxes of key concepts are really helpful, and the book is, of course, thorough and packed full of useful information.

[szymborskalyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly lucid, in retrospect. It's one of the best statistics primers out there.

[Emily]

Read majority for stats class

[Marie Patlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down

[Harrah Hanh Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is much more detailed and focused extensively on advanced statistical methods compared to the other books with similar topics written by the same author. Highly recommend it to the beginning researchers.

[Thelle Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to basic statistics, but some of the examples could be a bit more clear.

[Alex Christiansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredible narrative, fantastic characters; what a thrill ride!

Seriously, though, it was decently useful.