The Practice of Statistics: Putting the Pieces Together

A Great Book for Statisticians Wanting to Hone Their Communication Skills

Undergraduate statistics majors receive broad training in mathematics, applied and
theoretical statistics, computing, communication, and general education. However, these
students do not often get the opportunity to combine the various skills acquired throughout
the curriculum and have little experience performing experiments or working in teams. They
graduate with a vast array of knowledge, but are often very inexperienced in putting the pieces
together and are not ready to make their greatest possible impact in the workplace -- until now.

Author John Spurrier has developed a senior-level capstone course at the University of
South Carolina that gives undergraduate statistics majors experience in combining their
skills and opportunity to participate in experiments. Whether you use his new book in a
capstone course or integrate in into courses throughout the curriculum, it will help your
students:

Gain a variety of real world experiences. The experiences in the book range from
simple to complex and are similar to those students might encounter early in their
careers. Students actively participate in the experiences and identify with the data they
collect and analyze. Students develop confidence that they have the skills to solve
important problems.

Become effective in a team environment. As a successful statistician does not
work alone, students work in teams to choose factors, develop operational definitions,
perform experiments, and collect data. They individually analyze their data and
prepare reports.

Discover the "non-statistical" aspects of a career in statistics. In addition to
the "core" statistical work, students gain experience with the essential non-statistical skills
of technical writing, oral presentations, producing computer-generated visual aids,
seeking employment, and providing statistical consulting.

Using this book, your students will build confidence in their abilities to solve important
problems, make decisions, write and speak about statistical investigations, and achieve
success after graduation.

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To access the author's Journal of Statistics Education article describing the Capstone Course in Statistics at the University of South Carolina, click here.

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If you wish to purchase the book, click here.

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If you are an instructor, click here to find the review copy request form.
A helpful instructor's manual is also available.

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Click here to send an e-mail to the author.

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Table of Contents

Part I Capstone Experiences

1. Preparing Data for Analysis
2. Designing a Telephone Survey
3. Determing the Sample Size
4. Designing an Experiment to Compare Two Horn Activation Buttons
5. Using Regression to Predict the Weight of Rocks
6. Estimating Variance Components in Tack Measurements
7. Classifying Plant Leaves
8. Using a Response Surface to Optimize Product Performance
9. Modeling Breaking Strength with Dichotomous Data
10. Estimating Voter Preferences
11. Estimating the Probability of a Hit in Baseball

Part II Sharpening Nonstatistical Skills

12. Strategies for Effective Written Reports
13. Strategies for Effective Oral Presentations
14. Producing Visual Aids with MicroSoft PowerPoint
15. Strategies for Effective Consulting
16. Strategies for Finding a Job

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Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page
author. The contents of the page have not been reviewed or approved by the
University of South Carolina.

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URL

http://www.stat.sc.edu/~spurrier/bookpromo.html/

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Person Responsible for Maintaining This Page

John D. Spurrier, e-mail spurrier@stat.sc.edu

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