Nancy, I am with you on learning how to computer statistics by hand before learning how to make a computer do it for you.
I have used David Howell's "big" book (Statistical Methods for Psychology) for years now. I like it lots, but it goes beyond what most undergrads need to learn. Fortunately, Howell has a smaller book as well (Fundamental Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences) , which would be appropriate for a one-term undergrad course (at least that is how I have used it when I have taught our one-term course). Chris -- Christopher D. Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada 416-736-2100 ex. 66164 [email protected] http://www.yorku.ca/christo/ ========================== [email protected] wrote: > > > Hi, > > I have been asked to teach baby Stats (again) for psychology at a > school where my teacher evaluations have been generally decent but the > faculty evaluator, who looks at our course materials, does not like my > choice of book. > > I use Bluman Brief Edition (4th) which is not a "Psych Stats" book. > The examples and practice problems (of which there are a lot, that's > why I like the book) cover a variety of social, educational, criminal > justice and business applications...there are a few pure psych > problems mixed in, not many. The course includes lecture time (during > which I teach concepts and lots of by hand-solving of problems) and an > SPSS lab. > > I would like to keep my job at this CSU (a concern in our current > budget environment), but I am reluctant to part with my book. I like > it. Other "stats for psych" books I've used have had far fewer > practice problems available and emphasize "teaching the concepts". I > hate that. I know I can supply my own problems but I was hoping that > someone out there knows of a "stats for psych" book that at least > provides a balance between conceptual understanding and teaching > students to grasp and perform the processes of statistical calculation > with lots of real practice problems, related to psych and the social > sciences closely allied to it. > > Before I go through the nuisance of doing this and having to learn > someone else's way of doing some of the procedures (every book has a > few of its own idiosyncratic presentations of formulae), I thought I > might at least find a book, with your help, that provides a decent > number of practice problems. > > PS. I don't want to discuss whether teaching the hand calculations is > necessary. I could never learn mathematics by reading descriptions of > how to do it. Before they learn SPSS, they need to learn at least a > very basic version of what SPSS does. It's like teaching someone to > use a calculator without teaching them to add, subtract, multiply etc. > with his or her own brain first. > > Thanks for your help - and have a good weekend too. > > Nancy Melucci > Long Beach CIty College > Long Beach CA > > > -----Original Message----- --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
