Introduction to biostatistics (2nd edition) , by R. R. Sokal and F. J. Rohlf. Pp 363. £37·95.1987. ISBN 0-716-71805-7 (Freeman)
Introduction to biostatistics (2nd edition) , by R. R. Sokal and F. J. Rohlf. Pp 363. £37·95.1987. ISBN 0-716-71805-7 (Freeman)
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DOI:
10.2307/3618952
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发表时间:
1988-06
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影响因子:
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通讯作者:
A. J. Willis
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文献类型:
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作者:
A. J. Willis
discussion of the types of errors associated with hypothesis testing, and no warning of the dangers of using f if the values of E, are too small. The readable style deteriorates as the book progresses—the discussion of discrete and continuous variables is particularly confusing. I am also unhappy with defining variance as from the (another example of a formula appearing by magic); later on, variance is defined as Var(J0 = E(X — nf but we are not told how these two definitions are related or reconciled, and the use of (n — 1) in the r formula means that the discussion of unbiased estimators doesn't bring out the points one would make when teaching this topic. We are also told that the \ar(X) formula applies to both discrete and continuous distributions, but expectation has only been defined for the discrete case (because integration is a no-go area). the actual computations involved. Many users are likely to find the distinctive "boxes" (of which there are 28, set on a grey background) helpful, as they show the computational procedures for a wide variety of biostatistical problems; these cover aspects ranging, for example, from the calculation of confidence limits to the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov two-sample test. The early chapters deal with standard features of elementary statistics, including sampling, populations, variables, statistics of location and dispersion, the binomial and Poisson distributions and the normal probability distribution. The text is well illustrated with worked examples and by relevant experimental data. New features of this edition include stem-and-leaf diagrams and hanging histograms. The chapters conclude here, as elsewhere, with a series of exercises (numerical answers are given). An important chapter entitled "Estimation and Hypothesis Testing" covers confidence limits and null and alternative hypotheses, usefully putting some emphasis on the power of a test. Analysis of variance occupies four chapters; both single-classification and two-way analysis and also the assumptions of anova are covered. A quite full account is given, the authors rightly stressing in the Preface the need for today's biologists to have a thorough foundation in this field. A useful new feature here is the Bonferroni method for making multiple comparisons. The / test is treated as a special case of analysis of variance and it is argued that, if anova is understood early, the need to use the t distribution is reduced.