Statistics: a tool for social research

Statistics: A Tool for Social Research, Third Canadian Edition, helps to construct and develop the skills necessary for social science majors to become statistically literate―computational competence, appreciation of statistics, and the ability to read professional social science literature―from a uniquely Canadian perspective. To do so, the text provides a comprehensive, yet exceptionally accessible and reader-friendly discussion of statistics that is appropriate for students with varying levels of mathematical skill, ranging from those who battle statistical “anxiety” to those adept at math. The text provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of statistics in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process, and equally stresses hand-based calculation and interpretation of statistics. Students learn to use and interpret statistics in a variety of settings, with most examples, demonstrations, and applications of statistics intended for a diversity of Canadian social issues and social science disciplines, including sociology, political science, social work, public administration, criminology and criminal justice, and gerontology. By providing a solid grounding in both traditional formulas and the use of the latest SPSS statistical software package, Healey and Prus help students to master key statistical concepts and hone the skills they will need to succeed as professionals in a social science field--or simply to become "statistically literate," intelligent consumers of social research.