Statistics and Survey Sampling: Recommended Reading
In our list of suggested reading, two books stand out. Each is clear, concise,
and enlightening; and each is a pleasure to read. Kudos to the authors!
The Cartoon Guide to Statistics
by Larry Gonick and Woolcott Smith
This is a must-read for beginners and a guilty pleasure for world-class
statisticians. The Cartoon Guide to Statistics covers all the central
ideas of modern statistics - probability, sampling, data analysis, estimation,
hypothesis testing, and more.
Everything is explained clearly, in simple English. The authors boil
complex statistical ideas down to understandable essentials.
They reinforce key points with easy-to-follow charts, tables, and
relevant examples.
Here's the twist. The authors present their material with humor in a
non-threatening comic book format. It's funny, it's entertaining, and it's
educational. It
should be everybody's first statistics text.
Mathematical Methods in Sample Surveys
by Howard G. Tucker
This is an amazing book! The author provides a
concise, technical explanation of the math that underlies survey sampling. He
shows how basic notions of probability provide the foundation for advanced
survey sampling - simple random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster
sampling, and more.
Here's the amazing part. Although the author's presentation is comprehensive
and mathematically rigorous, he explains everything using only arithmetic
(addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) plus some basic algebra.
There is no calculus or other advanced math.
If you want to understand the math behind survey sampling, you will not be
disappointed. This book really delivers. (One warning: Even without calculus,
the material can be demanding. It is, after all, math. If you are intimidated by
mathematical proofs, this book is not for you.)
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