Social Statistics for a Diverse Society - The Pine Forge Press Series in Research Methods and Statistics

 Features/Benefits:

• A close link between the practice of statistics, important social issues, and real-world examples - this shows students that in the social sciences there is a constant interplay between social concerns and the methods of inquiry and investigation.
• Informal writing style - Coupled with the use of real-world example, the conversational writing style results in a book that is more accessible and engaging for students.
• A focus on race, class and gender pervades the book - this emphasis on diversity sets the book apart from others in the field and mirrors the major emphasis in the social sciences today.
• Reading the Research Literature sections in most chapters - help student read and interpret statistical information in professional and scholarly publications.
• Integration and Review Chapters- Chs. 9 and 15 review the two halves of the book for descriptive and inferential statistics, respectively. These two chapters help students understand the interconnectedness of concepts presented in Chs. 2-8 and 10 - 14, while testing their abilities to cumulatively apply their knowledge.
• Boxes and Learning Checks in chapters - Throughout the book are found Boxes that contain information on statistics in practice and insightful tips on using various techniques. The Learning Checks allow students to test their understanding of concepts just presented.
• Emphasis on Computing - SPSS for Windows is used throughout the book in conjunction with General Social Survey data to introduce students to one of the most commonly used analytical software packages in the field. At the end of each chapter is a demonstration of a related SPSS procedure, along with a set of exercises.

This groundbreaking textbook uses real-world research examples and data to provide a revealing introduction to social science statistics. The Third Edition of this widely adopted text effectively links social issues and sociological concepts with statistical techniques. Realizing that students may lack a substantial math background, or suffer from "math anxiety," the material in this book is presented using straightforward prose that emphasizes intuition, logic, and common sense rather than rote memorization. Throughout the text instructors are provided with resources to support effective teaching: illustrations showing how statistical concepts are used to interpret social issues, guides for reading and interpreting the research literature, SPSS demonstrations, and a rich variety of exercises. The user-friendly, informal style of this innovative text has been widely applauded by students and instructors alike.

A number of important changes have been made to this edition in response to the valuable comments received from the many instructors adopting the Second Edition and from other interested instructors and students.

The discussion of statistical procedures and concepts has been carefully edited, reducing redundancy of and clarifying examples, while at the same time preserving the book′s easily understood style.

A hallmark of the first two editions was the extensive use of real data from a variety of sources for chapter illustrations and exercises. Throughout the Third Edition, the majority of exercises and examples have been updated based on General Social Survey or U.S. Census data.

The detailed discussion of the principles of hypothesis testing, including the Z test for one sample, has been reintroduced from the First Edition. In addition, we have added a discussion of the t statistic in the context of one-sample tests. One sample tests are introduced here as a pedagogical tool to clarify statistical inference before moving to the more complicated concept of the two-sample test. For simplification, the discussion of unequal variances has been boxed and shortened considerably.

Rather than adding additional chapters and printed pages to the text, a CD-ROM with supplemental materials has been included in this new edition. These supplemental materials provide increased flexibility for instructors and students and include: two additional electronic chapters · three GSS data sets · a National Geographic data set with exercises · a data dictionary for the SPSS variables · and an SPSS demonstration¾ How to Use a Statistical Package. The first chapter includes an expanded version of Chapter 8¾ Bivariate Regression and Correlation¾ with new sections on inference in regression, analysis of variance, and a brief overview of multiple regression techniques. This chapter can be used in conjunction with the printed Chapter 8 or used alone. The second chapter is a stand-alone chapter on Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The chapter begins with a detailed computational example, highlights two SPSS ANOVA applications, and reviews two examples from the research literature. As in the text chapters, each electronic chapter concludes with an SPSS demonstration, SPSS exercises, and end of chapter exercises (with selected answers).

The Third Edition of this text includes examples and screen shots utilizing SPSS Version 11.0. Packaged with this text, on an optional basis, is SPSS Student Version 11.0. The SPSS CD-ROM contains: SPSS Student Version material plus · 3 GSS data sets · an NG data set with exercises · a data dictionary for the SPSS variables · and an SPSS demonstration How to Use a Statistical Package. Demonstrations and exercises have been updated, using version 11.0 format. To order the book packaged with the Student Version of SPSS 11.0, use order code: ISBN: 0-7619-8777-0.

As a companion to the Third Edition′s SPSS demonstrations and exercises, three data sets have been created. Those using the Student Version of SPSS 11.0 will work with two separate GSS files: GSS Module A features gender and family issues, and GSS Module B highlights race and government policy issues. The GSS96PFP.SAV contains an expanded selection of variables and cases from the 1998 General Social Survey. SPSS exercises at the end of each chapter utilize certain variables from all data modules. There is ample opportunity for instructors to develop their own SPSS exercises using this data.

The Third Edition′s discussion of inferential statistics remains focused on Z, t and chi-square. The Pine Forge Press Series in Research Methods and Statistics, of which this book is a part, includes additional supplementary volumes by Paul Allison on regression and by Robert Leik on analysis of variance. These supplements were written to closely coordinate with this text and are available from Pine Forge Press.

An instructor′s manual on CD-ROM is available to faculty adopting this text. Materials provided in the electronic manual include:

• An overview of the text, supplemental electronic materials, and the Instructor′s Manual
• Answers to all exercises included in the book and on the supplemental electronic materials
• Testbanks for both the text and supplemental electronic materials
• Additional collaborative exercises for use in groups of two or more
• Formulas in .pdf format for use as overhead transparencies
• PowerPointâ presentations for each chapter, including the electronic chapters
• Graphics from the text for use as overhead transparencies

"This book is the best I have seen on the market. It is the only book I have seen that manages to teach both statistics and a great deal of social science."

¾ Tom Linneman, College of William and Mary

¾ Pamela Stone, Hunter College of the City University of New York