How to teach myself stats

[Mr. Rosewater]

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so, i don't know much about statistics, and i'd like to remedy that before school starts. any recco's on good teach yourself books? thanks.

 

[terpgirl]

I am taking stats, and I think the grad student teaching it is horrible. I bought a book for AP Stat last year, and they did reprint it this year (I love how they put a new cover on it with the current year with the same content and people buy them like mad!). I LOVE IT so much, great explainations. It's in the MCAT/SAT/AP reveiw section of the bookstore--AP Statistics by Kaplan. Best one out there. Thick, losts of problems, good explainations but to the pointl Under $20.

I can't reccommend any math tesxtbooks, because in my opinion, they all are so archeic and very unhelpful. Good luck!

 

[Sharky]

Is stats important in medical school?

 

[bubbajones]

no doofus

 

[Luthertaketwo]

Originally posted by terpgirl
I am taking stats, and I think the grad student teaching it is horrible. I bought a book for AP Stat last year, and they did reprint it this year (I love how they put a new cover on it with the current year with the same content and people buy them like mad!). I LOVE IT so much, great explainations. It's in the MCAT/SAT/AP reveiw section of the bookstore--AP Statistics by Kaplan. Best one out there. Thick, losts of problems, good explainations but to the pointl Under $20.

I can't reccommend any math tesxtbooks, because in my opinion, they all are so archeic and very unhelpful. Good luck!

I've noticed the same. I really think teachers/profs make or break a math class.

 

[bubbajones]

ditto

 

[bigbaubdi]

Stats are important, especially for those who are interested in research.

There are quite a few good web resources that I have used in the past:

http://faculty.vassar.edu/lowry/webtext.html

http://davidmlane.com/hyperstat/

http://www.psychstat.smsu.edu/introbook/sbk00.htm

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/collections/statsbk/index.shtml

 

[DrBodacious]

Yes stats are important, even if you don't do research you have to be able to read research papers and understand the strength/weaknesses/limitations of the analyses that were used.

I need to learn more about stats too though. Those look like good sites bigbaudi.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

I love stats and was TA for 3 year for an undergrad class at UofA ..... and I can tell you that if you are willing, you can have a good grasp of material in a few weeks just by reading regular text books ..... they should take you through simple regression models.... so go to library and check out a stats book ..... it doesn't matter what year..... it is not like biology..... the definition of mean and standard deviation is still the same as it was 30 years back

If you want to learn how to use excel for your basic stats work (you would be amazed how much of basic stuff you can do with excel), then buy one of the book too (I can find the name for you if you are interested)
If you have any more question post here or pm me.....

later....

 

[flighterdoc]

If you don't know anything about stats, then get Stats for Dummies.

Then, get High Yield Biostats for the medical perspective.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by Sharky
Is stats important in medical school?

ucla requires it.


just take one of those distance learning classes at a CC. where you basically get a book, teach yourself at your own convenience.

well i guess you dont need to take the class but it at least helped me make sure i kept up with the material so i wouldnt have to cram before a test.

unfortunately i dont remember the title of the text...but ill see if i can find it and tell you. its a good book thats pretty easy to understand and you learn all the goodness that statistics has to offer.

 

[Newquagmire]

Originally posted by Sharky
Is stats important in medical school?

It teaches you how to make something look like something completely different 95% of the time.

Excel and a TI-83 are great complements to a good book. I seem to recall one with a bunch of Campbell soup labels on the front...

 

[DrBodacious]

Originally posted by Newquagmire
It teaches you how to make something look like something completely different 95% of the time.

Excel and a TI-83 are great complements to a good book. I seem to recall one with a bunch of Campbell soup labels on the front...

Nah, not if you actually know how to use stats. All statistical analyses have their assumptions, (normalcy of data etc.) and sometimes people don't follow the assumptions. The result of an analysis always gives you a specific answer for a specific hypothesis, so if you make something look like something different, you are not looking at the results correctly and/or completely. Papers don't normally get published if they violate assumptions or misconstrue results, however.

 

[triman]

Principles of Biostatistics by Pagano and Gauvreau.

Great introductory biostats book for med students.

 

[Mr. Rosewater]

thanks for all the advice folks. i appreciate it.