Statistics Resources
A trip to the bookstore
Nora Paul has dedicated this month's On the Internet (page 10) column to finding data sets and statistics guides on the Internet. Be sure to check it out to complete your statistics resource guide.
Many of these resources can be ordered online through the Ernie Pyles Memorial Bookstore on the web at http://www.duff.net/ernie/. For a non-framed version go to http://www.duff.net/ernie/stats.html. The site also contains numerous other journalism-related books for order.
Recently on the NICAR-L listserv, a series of messages arose pertaining to the subject of statistics resources for reporters. Many of the list members shared their knowledge and experiences with certain texts. Following are some of those books, along with members' comments and how to email them:
The SPSS Guide to Statistical Analysis by Maria Norusis may be the best primer around. My two additional references are: PDQ Statistics by Norman and Streiner, and Statistics: A Spectator Sport by Richard Jaeger. Both attempt to make the link between this subject and the layman, or at least the lay nerd. Ford Fessenden, Newsday fordfess@newsday.com
The Jessica Utts text, Seeing Through Statistics is the perfect book for CAR types. It teaches you why to use stats, without much math. This book is clearly written, including lots of examples (many taken from news media). It will work well for those who want to learn this on their own, outside of a classroom setting.
I also recommend a program called Data Desk. It's built around the idea of "exploratory data" analysis, which uses some slick data visualization tools such as rotating 3-d plots, brushing, color ranges, et al. Stephen K. Doig steve.doig@asu.edu
For the lighter side of statistical reading, try these:
How to Lie With Statistics, the classic little book first published in 1954, by Darrell Huff. I've still seen it in college bookstores. The pictures alone are worth the price.
200% of Nothing: From Percentage Pumping to Irrational Ratios, An Eye-Opening Tour through the Twists and Turns of Math Abuse and Innumeracy, by A.K. Dewdney, John Wiley and Sons. This one isn't really statistics per se, but it's good reading for reporters who are finding themselves working with numbers of any kind more often. Sarah Cohen, NICAR training director sarah@nicar.org
I like Victor Cohn's News & Numbers. Cohn was a Washington Post science and medical reporter. Much of the book is devoted to deciphering statistical claims by scientists, doctors, environmentalists and others in the health arena, but he also addresses basic concepts too like variance, rates, significance, and so forth. Very readable. Rick Linsk, Asbury Park Press linsk@app.com
Philip Meyer's book The New Precision Journalism is an excellent resource. It has a statistics section, and deals with poll and survey design, data collection and analysis.
Bill Doskoch bdoskoch@compusmart.ab.ca
It never hurts to collect as many useful stats books as possible. Some specific suggestions:
Statistical Concepts: A Basic Program by Brown, Amos and Mink. You'll probably have to go to a good used bookstore for this one. It does a terrific job of teaching basic stats. It starts with explaining terms such as variable, frequency, distribution, etc., in definitions that go a sentence or two.
Dictionary of Statistics and Methodology, by W. Paul Vogt., from Sage Publications. The Practice of Social Research, by Earl Babbie is a good introductory methods textbook. It goes through theory/research, measurement, operationalization, etc. Statistical Reasoning for the Behavioral Sciences, by Richard Shavelson is another textbook used in graduate stats introductory courses. Political Science Research Methods, by Johnson and Joslyn, is a book someone passed along to me. The writing is generally clear, and the book is short on Greek letters. I always like to find stats books that explain things in sentences, not just equations, and this one does that. Understanding Political Variables, by Buchanan, is a book I don't use a lot, but it's generally readable.
Basic Statistics: An Introductory Survey for Students of Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Business, by Parl. Again, unless there's a new edition, check the dusty shelves of a local used bookstore. John Bare jbare@interpath.com