Doing Statistics With SPSS

`This book is to be commended, particularly, for putting the tool of statistics into the familiar context of a research study. In so doing it emphasizes the neglected pre-analysis stages of a research study. Indeed the performing of a data analysis, this book reminds us, should be the mere icing on an already well cooked cake′ - Psychology Learning & Teaching Doing Statistics With SPSS is derived from the authors′ many years of experience teaching undergraduates data handling using SPSS. It assumes no prior understanding beyond that of basic mathematical operations and is therefore suitable for anyone undertaking an introductory statistics course as part of a science based undergraduate programme. The text will: enable the reader to make informed choices about what statistical tests to employ; what assumptions are made in using a particular test; demonstrate how to execute the analysis using SPSS; and guide the reader in his/her interpretation of its output. Each chapter ends with an exercise and provides detailed instructions on how to run the analysis using SPSS release 10. Learning is further guided by pointing the reader to particular aspects of the SPSS output and by having the reader engage with specified items of information from the SPSS results. This text is more complete than the alternatives that usually fall into one of two camps. They either provide an explanation of the concepts but no instructions on how to execute the analysis with SPSS, or they are a manual which instructs the reader on how to drive the software but with minimal explanation of what it all means. This book offers the best elements of both in a style that is economical and accessible. Doing Statistics with SPSS will be essential reading for undergraduates in psychology and health-related disciplines, and likely to be of invaluable use to many other students in the social sciences taking a course in statistics.