Misused Statistics

This revised and updated edition of a standard in the field alerts readers to the problems inherent in statistical practice—illustrating the types of misused statistics with well-documented, real-world examples, nearly half new to this edition, drawn from a wide range of areas, including the media, public policy, polls and surveys, political elections and debates, advertising, science and health care, and business and economics.

Shows how to detect and rectify the inaccurate or deceptive usage of quantitative data in reports, articles, and statements, even in your own work!

Extensively rewritten to account for developments in the past decade, this Second Edition makes sophisticated statistical issues accessible to novices, while retaining technical features of pertinence to professionals shows how to identify, understand, and deal with statistical misuses demonstrates how to evaluate examples in a step-by-step fashion offers end-of-chapter summaries facilitating at-a-glance information and more!

Together with bibliographic citations, tables, and drawings, Misused Statistics, Second Edition furnishes a stimulating, integrated view of the subject for statisticians; biomathematicians and medical personnel; political scientists; journalists; lawyers; professionals and graduate-level students in statistics, business administration, economics, demography, sociology, anthropology, general sciences, operations management, and urban and public affairs; continuing-education courses in statistics; as well as individuals with a general interest in the subject.