24-March-2006
James Sogi on "Introduction to Statistics"

For specs wishing to get started in Statistics and R, a perfect book I wish I had when I first started learning is Introduction to Statistics Through Resampling Methods and R/S-Plus, by Phillip Good, a professor at UCLA.

The book is written at the high school or introductory college level and should be accessible for all. I plan to give it to my college age son to read for a starter. What is different about the book is it relies on computational methods, Monte Carlo particularly, rather than calculus for statistical tests and numbers and but gives a basic understanding of the processes underlying both statistics, probability and modeling. Good gives the R codes as he goes along for each concept and teaches R at the same time in very digestible portions. It's the perfect introduction for market analysts and now there is no excuse for any of you not familiar with counting methods. This is the ultimate starter and is highly recommended reading for all. Many of the questions Victor poses, such as Little Things, might appropriately be addressed with such techniques.