Short, Accessible Chapter Format
This “chunking” format of brief chapters makes for more convenient, effective reading by students, while creating more opportunities for instructors to recap and reinforce concepts.
Four-Step Problem Solving Process
This process (State, Formulate, Solve, Conclude) guides student work on realistic statistical problems. The process is used as appropriate and most often as students gain the tools needed to handle real-world problems.
Relevant, Real-World Statistical Examples and Exercises:
o Appealing to Life Science: Examples and exercises are drawn from diverse areas of biology such as physiology, brain and behavior, health and medicine, nutrition, ecology, and microbiology
o Apply Your Knowledge: Appearing throughout each chapter, these questions test a student's understanding of basic concepts..
o “Check Your Skills” exercises: At the end of each chapter, multiple choice questions reinforce skill building before the student begins the chapter review exercises.
Discussion
Several chapters include a “Discussion” feature that touches on a controversial subject in the life sciences. It is written to help establish class discussion or assigned reading and will help further engage students and show the value of statistics in their field of study.
Caution Notes
Found in the exposition section of every chapter and signaled with an icon in the margin, these notes warn students of possible pitfalls they can encounter when analyzing data.
Accessible Technology
Technology is emphasized throughout the text and always presented in a student-friendly format.
o CrunchIt! Software Output Screens. In addition to Minitab, TI graphing calculators, Excel, and SPSS, the Using Technology sections now include CrunchIt!, a student-friendly statistical software package. A CrunchIt! access code is provided with each new textbook or access can be purchased online.
o Applets. Available on the companion Web site and CD, and marked throughout the text, these interactive applets help students learn important concepts such as regression, central limit theorem, and more.
Ethics in Experimentation Coverage
The authors believe this topic is a very important part of the undergraduate curriculum and that a biostatistics course is an ideal forum for discussing ethical issues.