Fundamentals of Modern Statistical Methods

Discusses the uses and limitation of the normal curve in scientific studies, and then introduces methods for dealing with nonnormality.

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Conventional statistical methods have a very serious flaw: They routinely miss differences among groups or associations among variables that are detected by more modern techniques - even under very small departures from normality. Hundreds of journal articles have described the reasons standard techniques can be unsatisfactory, but simple, intuitive explanations are generally unavailable. Improved methods have been derived, but they are far from obvious or intuitive based on the training most researchers receive. Situations arise where even highly nonsignificant results become significant when analyzed with more modern methods. Without assuming any prior training in statistics, Part I of this book describes basic statistical principles from a point of view that makes their shortcomings intuitive and easy to understand. The emphasis is on verbal and graphical descriptions of concepts. Part II describes modern methods that address the problems covered in Part I.
Using data from actual studies, many examples are included to illustrate the practical problems with conventional procedures and how more modern methods can make a substantial difference in the conclusions reached in many areas of statistical research. Rand Wilcox is a professor of psychology at the University of Southern California.